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Among  the  Giant  Redwoods  of  the  Coast  Ranges 


THE    NEW    PROGRESSIVE    GEOGRAPHIES 

DEVELOPED  ACCORDING  TO  THE  PROBLEM  METHOD 


CALIFORNIA 


BY 


HAROLD  W.  FAIRBANKS,  PH.  D. 

Author  ot 
Home  and  Its  Relation  to  the  World 
Topical  Outlines  of  the  Geography  of  the  Continents 
Developed  According  to  the  Problem  Method 


Copyright 

1920 

H.  W.  Fairbanks 


1921 

HARR  WAGNER  PUBLISHING  CO. 

SAN    FRANCISCO 
CALIFORNIA 


;^.  ^^^-    ju-y^^^'^^^ 


ETUCATTON  LTBR; 

PREFACE 


The  new  series  of  Elementary  School  Geographies  of  which 
this  volume  forms  a  part  has  been  worked  out  along  lines  entirely 
different  from  any  other  American  text. 

The  two-time-over  plan  has  been  abandoned  for  a  progressive 
course  in  which  each  country  is  studied  but  once.  The  descriptive 
method  in  which  the  memory  plays  the  chief  role  has  been  replaced 
by  one  in  which  reason  and  thought,  based  on  experience,  are  the 
moving  forces. 

The  aim  of  this,  the  second  book  in  the  New  Series,  is  two- 
fold: first,  is  to  give  the  child  such  a  conception  of  his  own  state 
as  will  be  of  some  real  use  to  him  in  daily  life;  and  second,  to 
afford  a  foundation  for  an  intelligent  study  of  the  world  at  large. 
When  the  child  understands  how  people  about  him  are  influenced 
by  their  environment  he  has  acquired  the  ability,  with  the  aid  of 
a  good  physical  map,  to  form  conclusions  as  to  how  people  in  dis- 
tant lands  are  affected  by  their  environments.  This  view  leads  us 
to  look  upon  facts  not  as  the  aim  but  rather  the  tools  by  the  aid 
of  which  true  geographic  understanding  is  reached. 

To  accomplish  this  aim,  a  readjustment  of  emphasis  is  neces- 
sary. Instead  of  giving  a  few  weeks  here  and  there  in  the  course 
to  the  home,  state  or  natural  region  in  which  the  child  lives,  and 
thus  making  the  home  region  incidental  to  world  geography,  the 
method  employed  in  the  present  series  assumes  that  an  understand- 
ing of  the  home  is  the  indispensable  prerequisite  to  a  real  know- 
ledge of  the  world. 

Working  the  above  out  by  means  of  the  problem  method,  the 
study  appears  to  the  child  to  take  on  a  definite  purpose.  It  be- 
comes intensely  interesting  and  leaves  a  permanent  impression. 

From  the  point  of  view  outlined,  no  apology  need  be  offered 
for  putting  within  reach  of  the  children  of  California  this  book, 
which  is  intended  as  a  basis  for  a  year's  study.  Such  a  study  nat- 
urally falls  in  the  fifth  year  and  before  formal  world  geography  is 

commenced. 

H.  W.  FAIRBANKS. 
Berkeley,  Cal.,  April,  1920. 


\Q-  D 
CONTENTS  r   I 


i  Page 

Preface 3 

Chapter  I 7 

Topic  I.     A  Land  of  Gold 7 

Topic  II.     California,   a    Land  of   Fruitful    Gardens 8 

Topic  III.     California  as  the  Home  of  the   Indian 13 

Topic  IV.     California  as  the  Home  of  the  Spaniard 14 

Summary    18 

Review   Questions 19 

Practical  Lessons  19 

Chapter  II 21 

Topic  I.     The  Main  Routes  by  Which  the  Pioneers  Reached 

California    21 

Topic  II.     The   California   Coast   Presented   Many   Difficul- 
ties to  the   Early   Explorers 23 

Summary 38 

Review   Questions   38 

Practical  Lessons  39 

Chapter  III 41 

Topic  I.     The  Natural  Resources  of  Our  California  Garden  41 
Topic  II.     The   Natural  Resources  of  Our   California   Gar- 
den Are  Very  Rich,  But  They  Will  Not  Last  Unless 

We  Take  Care  of  Them 48 

Topic  III.     How  the   Growth   of  California   Has   Been   Af- 
fected  by    the    Character   of   Its    Surface,    Its    Streams, 

and  Its  Climate  55 

Topic  IV.     California    Has   Such    Wonderful    Scenery    that 

People  Come  from  All  Parts  of  Our  Country  to  See  It..  64 

Topic  V.     Some  Thoughts  on  the  Study  of  California 69 

Summary    73 

Review   Questions   - 73 

Practical  Lessons  - - 75 

Chapter   IV  77 

The    Great    Valley :     The    Granary    and    Future    Garden    of 

California    77 

Summary    91 

Review  Questions   92 

Practical  Lessons  92 


M58705a 


Page 

Chapter  V   95 

The  Coast  Ranges :  A  Region  of  Mountains  and  Innumer- 
able Park-Like  Valleys  Whose  Fertile  Soil  and  Agree- 
able Climate  Make  This  An  Attractive  Land 95 

The  Northern  Coast  Ranges 98 

The  Clear  Lake  District 104 

The  Southern  Coast   Ranges 106 

The  San  Francisco  Bay  and  Region  About 113 

Summary    134 

Review  Exercises  136 

Practical  Lessons  137 

Chapter  VI    139 

The  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains 139 

Summary    156 

Review  Exercises  156 

Practical    Lessons    157 

Chapter   VII    159 

Southern  California  159 

Summary    205 

Review  Exercises  206 

Practical  Lessons  207 

Chapter  VIII    209 

The  'Great  Basin  209 

Summary 217 

Review  Exercises  218 

Practical  Lessons 219 

Chapter   IX 221 

The  Klamath  Mountains  221 

Summary    227 

Review  Exercises  227 

Practical  Lessons  228 

Chapter  X   229 

The  Volcanic  Plateau  229 

Summary    235 

Review  Exercises  236 

Practical  Lessons 236 

Index  237 


ARGUMENT 

FOR 

THE  NEW  PROGRESSIVE  GEOGRAPHIES  DEVELOPED 
ACCORDING  TO  THE  PROBLEM  METHOD 

BY 
Dr.  H.  W.  Fairbanks 

The  following  plan  of  a  new  series  of  school  geographies  has  been 
worked  out  as  a  result  of  the  conviction  on  the  part  of  the  author  that  the 
subject  of  school  geographj'  needs  remodeling  along  new  and  wholly  differ- 
ent lines  and  that  none  of  the  present  text-books  meet  the  demand  of  this 
more   modern   and   rational  view   of  the   subject. 

The  proposed  geographies  diflfer  from  those  now  in  use  in  three  impor- 
tant particulars,  namely: — in  method,  in  distribution  of  emphasis,  and  in  the 
handling  of  the  map  question. 

1.  Method. — The  current  texts  are  based  in  great  part  on  the  idea  that 
geographv  is  a  study  of  facts  about  the  earth.  These  books  are  filled  wnth 
an  almos't  innumerable  number  of  facts  which  according  to  the  method 
usually  followed  are  acquired  through  memorizing  with  little  inquiry  into 
the   matter  as   to  whether  these   facts   are   really   understood. 

In  the  New  Series  an  attempt  is  made  to  practically  do  away  with  the 
memorizing  of  facts  as  facts.  The  vast  amount  of  detail  found  in  all  the 
current  texts  is  dispensed  with.  The  thinking  powers  of  the  pupils  are 
aroused  through  the  development  of  the  causal  relationship  which  exists 
among  facts,  and  which  relationship  alone  leads  to  true  geographic  knowl- 
edge. .  ,        J    • 

One  of  the  primary  objects  in  the  method  of  presentation  employed  in 
the  new  texts  is  to  develop  the  interest  of  the  pupils  through  the  use  of 
"problems."      By  this   means   the   otherwise   dead  facts   are   clothed  with  life. 

The  method  of  presenting  all  facts  in  the  light  of  their  natural  associa- 
t'ons  and  from  the  point  of  view  of  their  influence  upon  life  might  be  called 
the  "biological  method."  It  not  only  makes  the  subject  matter  of  the  geog- 
raphy seem  worth  while  to  the  pupils,  a  very  important  thing  in  itself  but  it 
brings  out  clearly  the  scope  and  bounds  of  geography,  a  notion  which  is 
lacking  in  the  current  texts  as  well  as  actual  school-room  practice. 

In  the  biological  method  of  approach  all  materials  are  presented  from 
the  standpoint  of  their  relation  to  the  earth  as  a  living  organism.  A  moun- 
tain for  example,  is  not  studied  merely  as  a  physical  feature  of  the  earth 
but 'from  the  point  of  view  of  its  relation  to  the  people  who  live  at  its  base. 
Every  fact  that  has  any  vital  relation  to  elementary  school  geography  is 
thus   made  significant. 

The  two-time-over  plan  in  current  use  is  discarded  as  it  is  believed  to 
be  wasteful  of  time  and  effort  and  not  to  lead  to  the  best  results.  A 
progressive  course  is  substituted  for  the  present  one  and  in  this  course  the 
world  is  gone  over  in  a  formal  manner  but  once.  The  objection  sometimes 
raised  to  this  plan  that  some  children  may  leave  school  before  the  con- 
tinents have  all  been  studied  is  met  by  the  statement  that  m  the  latter  half 
of  the  fourth  vear  there  is  a  general  survey  of  the  world,  and  that  it  is 
of  far  greater  importance  that  such  children  should  have  a  working  knowl- 
edge of  their  home,  state  and  native  land  than  that  this  should  have  been 
neglected  and  their  time  spent  in  memorizing  meaningless  facts  about  distant 

^2  ^Distribution  of  emphasis:— To  make  geographical  relations  in  distant 
lands  really  intelligible  the  new  plan  not  only  emphasizes  home  geography, 
but  goes  much  farther  and  assumes  that  an  understandmg  of  the  home  is 
the  indispensable  pre-requisite  to  a  real  knowledge  of  the  world.     It  is  only 


when  the  pupils  have  gained  a  working  knowledge  of  the  relation  botween 
the  people  about  them  and  their  environment  that  they  are  able  to  under- 
stand  the   environments   of   peoples   in    distant   lands. 

The  extended  study  of  the  home  called  for  by  the  plan  of  the  New 
Series  results  in  remarkably  rapid  and  intelligent  progress  when  the  pupils 
reach  the  study  of  distant  lands.  The  knowledge  gained  of  life  relations  in 
the  home  is  carried  directly  over  to  the  new  land,  no  matter  in  what  part 
of  the  world  it  is  situated.  When  a  good  map  is  furnished  the  pupils  they 
are  able  to  reason  out  conclusions  as  to  life  conditions  wherever  life  is 
studied. 

3.  The  problem  of  map  study: — The  New  Series  of  Geographies  is  to 
be  illustrated  with  half  tones  and  colored  plates  but  maps  are  to  be  excluded 
from  the  text-books  and  bound  in  a  separate  volume  or  Atlas.  This  has 
long  been  the  established  custom  in  the  leading  foreign  countries,  and  is 
likely  soon  to  be  the  rule  in  the  United  States.  One  of  the  most  serious 
defects  of  the  current  geographical  texts  is  not  only  the  small  size  of  the 
maps   but  their  usually  poor   character. 

The  advantages  of  an   atlas  might  be  stated  as  follows: — 

1.  The   maps   can   be   printed   on  a  scale  large   enough   to    make 
them  clear  and   comprehensible. 

2.  The  atlas  can  more   easily  be  preserved  as   a  handy  book  of 
reference  when  not  encumbered  with  the  text. 

3.  The  text  can  be  bound  in  a  more  conveniently  sized  volume 
than  when  an  attempt  is  made  to  adapt  it  to  the  needs  of  maps. 

4.  An   atlas   bound  in   one   or   two   parts   could   be   made   to   last 
for  the  whole  school  course. 

The    New    Geographies    can    be    divided    conveniently    into    four    volumes 

as  follows:  .      tt  ^  i  i  •  . 

Vol  I.  Fourth  Grade: — An  elementary  text  in  Home  Geography  which 
includes  iii  the  latter  half  a  discussion  of  the  peoples  of  other  parts  of  the 
world  through  the  interchange  of  products  between  them  and  the  people  of 
the  California  home.  This  introductory  work  is  made  as  real  as  possible 
through  the  use  of  pictures  and  the  globe  or  map  of  the  hemispheres. 

Vol  II.  Fifth  Grade:— California  and  other  parts  of  our  country  as  they 
are  related  to  California.  A  good  wall  map  or  relief  model  a  necessity.  (A 
small  atlas  of  California  is  to  be  prepared  to  accompany  this  Volume.) 

Vol.  III.  Sixth  Grade: — North  America  with  emphasis  laid  upon  the 
United   States.      Physical   wall   maps   a   necessity. 

Vol  IV.  Seventh  and  Eighth  Grades:— The  remaining  portions  of  the 
world  taken  up  in  that  order  which  brings  the  most  important  regions  early 
in  the  course.  North  America  is  naturally  followed  by  South  America, 
Europe,  Asia,  Africa  and  Australia.  .       .      ,       .  .        ,  •    j-     ,, 

The  Geography  of  Current  Events  should  be  introduced  periodically 
throughout  the  course.  .       ,       c-    .u    r-     j      ^ 

It  is  not  at  all  essential  that  Europe  be  taught  in  the  Sixth  Grade  to 
meet  the  needs  of  Sixth  Grade  history.  All  the  geography  which  is  needed 
for  the  history  can  better  be  given  as  a  part  of  the  history. 

The  author  has  employed  the  historical  development  of  the  different 
lands  as  a  motive  through  the  series  but  this  does  not  imply  that  geography 
should  be  made   subservient  to  history  as  is  often   done. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Topic  I. — A  Land  of  Gold. 

A  Land  of  Fabulous  Riches  to  Reach  Which  the  "Gold  Seekers"  or 
"Argonauts"  Suffered  Untold  Dangers  and  Hardships. 

How  were  the  Pioneers  of  California  like  the  Argonauts  of 

the  Old  Legend? 

According  to  the  ancient  Greek  story,  Jason  and  his  comrades 
set  sail  on  an  expedition  to  a  distant  region  in  search  of  the  Golden 
Fleece.  These  adventurers  are  known  as  Argonauts.  So  it  came 
about  that  the  Pioneers  who  started  out  from  the  Eastern  States 
to  find  the  hidden  gold  in  far  away  California  were  called  "Argo- 
nauts." 

Was  there  much  known  about  California  at  the  time  of  the 

discovery  of  gold  in  1848? 

Although  explorers  had  described  California  as  an  attractive 
land  blest  wnth  perpetual  spring,  it  had  at  the  time  of  the  discovery 
of  gold  few  inhabitants  besides  Indians  and  easy-going  Spaniards. 

Southern  California  and  the  valleys  of  the  Coast  Ranges  had 
been  occupied  for  many  years  by  the  Missions  and  scattered  Spanish 
ranches.  Daring  American  explorers  had  crossed  the  mountains  and 
deserts  to  the  Great  Valley.  Captain  Sutter  had  built  a  fort  near 
the  junction  of  the  American  river  with  the  Sacramento  and  had 
commenced  to  raise  stock  and  cultivate  the  land. 

General  Fremont,  known  as  the  "Path  Finder,"  had  explored 
much  of  the  interior  and  had  nearly  lost  his  life  in  crossing  the  Sierra 
Nevada  Mountains  in  midwinter. 

How  did  the  discovery  of  gold  affect  the  story  of  California? 

1.  The  land  filled  quickly  with  thousands  of  people:  The  Mexi- 
can War  had  just  ended  and  California  had  become  a  part  of  our 
country  when  Marshall  made  his  great  discovery  of  gold  in  a  mill 
race  in  El  Dorado  county. 

The  news  spread  quickly  and  in  a  few  months  thousands  of  peo- 
ple were  on  their  way  to  the  land  where  the  stream  gravels  were 
reported  to  be  full  of  gold  which  w^as  to  be  had  merely  for  the 
digging. 

In  less  than  a  year  San  Francisco  Bay  had  filled  with  ships  from 
all  parts  of  the  world  and  an  almost  continuous  line  of  ox-wagons 
filled  with  gold  seekers  marked  the  newly  opened  road  across  the 
continent. 

Soon  prospectors  spread  through  the  foothills  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  and  Klamath  Mountains.  Their  camps  were  scattered  all 
along  the  streams,  while  little  towns  sprang  up  where  the  "bars" 
were  richest  in  gold.  Thus  life  and  bustle  suddenly  replaced  the 
quiet  which  had  ruled  in  California  for  so  long. 


8  New  Progressive  Geographies 

2.  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  golden  magnet,  California  would 
have  settled  slowly,  as  did  Oregon  and  Washington:  Before  the 
discovery  of  gold,  Marcus  Whitman  had  led  the  way  to  the  rich 
farming  lands  of  Eastern  Oregon,  but  because  this  region  was  so 
far  removed  from  the  Eastern  settlements,  and  the  dangers  of  the 
journey  to  the  Far  West  were  so  great,  the  country  settled  slowly. 

It  was  very  different  in  the  case  of  California.  The  tales  of  gold 
aroused  a  great  excitement  over  the  whole  country  The  journey 
to  this  region,  although  more  difficult  than  the  one  to  Oregon,  did 
not,  nevertheless,  prevent  thousands  from  attempting  it,  and  so  the 
population  increased  rapidly. 

3.  The  growth  of  other  industries:  For  a  time  mining  was  the 
only  thing  thought  of.  Ships  were  deserted  by  their  crews;  clerks 
left  their  stores  and  farmers  abandoned  their  fields.  But  there  were 
many  who  did  not  "strike  it  rich"  and  soon  returned  to  their  pre- 
vious occupations. 

Stock  raising  had  been  the  leading  industry  of  this  region  from 
the  earliest  days  of  the  Spanish  settlement,  but  hides,  wool  and  tal- 
low were  the  only  products  for  which  there  was  any  sale.  With 
the  coming  of  thousands  of  emigrants  there  arose  a  great  demand 
for  meat.  The  growing  of  grain,  fruit  and  vegetables  also  became 
important,  for  all  farm  products  brought  fabulous  prices. 

The  great  distance  of  California  from  any  point  where  manu- 
factured products  could  be  obtained  soon  led  to  the  establishment 
of  many  industries  to  supply  the  needs  of  the  growing  population. 

Topic  II. — California,  a  Land  of  Fruitful  Gardens. 

A   Pleasant   Land   of    Mountains    and   Valleys   in    Which   is   Found 

Every  Sort  of  Climate  and  Where  Grows  Almost 

Everything  That  One  Could  Wish. 

How  California  received  its  name. 

A  Spanish  story  written  long  ago  tells  of  a  fabulous  island  in 
the  "South  Seas."  This  island  was  called  California.  It  was  said 
in  the  story  to  be  inhabited  by  Griffins  and  to  abound  with  gold. 

Spanish  sailors  sailing  westward  from  Mexico  came  to  what 
they  thought  was  an  island  lying  far  out  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  To 
this  land  they  gave  the  name  of  California,  although  no  Griffins 
were  found  in  it,  and  many  years  passed  before  its  golden  treas- 
ures came  to  light. 

The  land  thus  discovered  is  now  called  Lower  California,  but 
Upper  California,  the  land  in  which  we  live,  was  not  visited  until 
many  years  later. 

Lower  California  is  really  a  peninsula,  as  you  can  see  from  the 
map,  instead  of  an  island,  and  extends  south  from  our  California. 
Upon  the  old  Spanish  maps  the  whole  of  California  is  pictured  as 
an  island  with  a  long,  narrow  strait  separating  it  from  the  main- 
land. We  now  know  that  this  land  is  not  an  island.  The  southern 
end  of  the  supposed  strait  is  the  Gulf  of  California,  and  the  upper 
end  is  Fuget  Sound. 


California  9 

Where  lies  California? 

Our  California  home  is  far  away  to  the  westward  of  where  the 
Pilgrims  landed  and  upon  the  opposite  side  of  North  America.  It 
faces  west  toward  the  broad  Pacific  Ocean,  along  which  it  stretches 
for  nearly  one  thousand  miles.  The  boundaries  of  California  were 
once  very  indefinite,  but  much  greater  than  they  are  now.  It  in- 
cluded all  that  land  reaching  from  Mexico  on  the  south  to  Oregon 
on  the  north  and  from  the  Pacific  Ocean  east  to  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

The   states  of  Utah,  Nevada  and   a   part   of  Arizona  have   been 


-Auto  Club   of   .Southern   California. 


Giant  breakers  in  Santa  Monica  Bay. 

made   out  of  this  vast  territory  and   what   remains   forms  the   Cali- 
fornia of  today  which  we  are  going  to  study. 

What  sort  of  land  is  California? 

If  we  sail  along  the  coast  of  California,  as  did  the  early  navi- 
gators, we  find  that  it  has  a  very  even  shore  line  and  apparently  few 
bays  that  oflfer  protection  from  storm.  Viewed  from  the  sea  this 
land  appears  to  be  mostly  mountains  through  which  occasional  val- 
leys open,  and  we  are  thus  at  first  led  to  believe  that  its  surface  is 
too  rough  to  support  many  people. 

We  discover  finally  that  there  are  more  bays  than  we  at  first 
supposed  and  that  in  and  behind  the  coast  mountains  there  are  many 
great  valleys.  Entering  San  Francisco  Bay  we  are  led  through  the 
mountains  that  guard  the  coast  and  far  into  the  interior. 

Rich   and   beautiful   valleys   lie   among  the   mountains,   but   it   is 


10  New  Progressive  Geographies 

not  until  we  have  passed  the  strait  of  Carquinez  that  the  largest  one 
comes  in  sight. 

An  almost  boundless  plain,  known  as  the  Great  Valley,  now 
stretches  out  before  us.  Far  to  the  east  we  get  a  view  of  the  snow- 
covered  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains.  To  the  north  we  may  be  able 
to  see  Mt.  Shasta,  one  of  the  highest  volcanic  peaks  in  the  United 
States.  To  the  south  are  other  mountains,  but  too  far  away  to  be 
seen.  Thus  this  great  valley  is  inclosed  upon  all  sides  except  for 
the  opening  through  which  we  enter.  It  is  so  rich  and  of  so  vast 
an  extent  that  even  if  there  were  no  others  California  would  never- 
theless be  a  wonderful  land  capable  of  supporting  many  millions 
of  people. 

But  this  is  far  from  being  all  of  the  land  that  we  are  studying. 
Away  to  the  south,  beyond  mountains  and  desert,  lies  the  Los  An- 
geles-San Bernardino  Valley.  This  is  another  vast  lowland  which, 
unlike  the  Great  Valley,  is  open  to  the  sea  and  is  broken  by  hills 
and  mountains. 

This  valley  is  shut  in  on  the  north  and  east  by  lofty  mountains. 
From  the  summit  of  San  Gorgonio,  the  highest  of  their  snow-clad 
peaks,  we  see  that  these  mountains  separate  the  fertile  valleys  of 
Southern  California  from  trackless  deserts  which  extend  farther  than 
our  eyes  can  reach. 

The  strange  thing  which  we  note  about  these  deserts  is  that 
their  slopes  do  not  lead  to  the  sea  but  form  basins  instead.  None 
of  the  rain  which  falls  in  these  basins  ever  reaches  the  sea. 

Why  is  California  such  a  pleasant  and  fruitful  land? 

California  is,  then,  a  land  of  mountains,  valleys  and  desert  plains. 
Each  of  these  slopes  has  its  own  climate  and  each  has  its  own  pro- 
ductions which  are  different  from  the  others. 

So  agreeable  is  the  climate  in  most  parts;  so  varied  are  the 
natural  resources,  and  so  attractive  is  the  scenery,  that  w^e  speak 
of  this  land  as  a  pleasant  and  fruitful  garden. 

How  has  Nature  made  a  garden  of  California? 

1.  California  has  a  fertile  soil:  The  soil  is  formed  from  the 
rocks,  and  since  there  are  in  California  many  kinds  of  rocks,  there 
are  also  many  kinds  of  soil,  each  suited  to  growing  certain  plants  best. 

The  rocks  are  slowly  crumbling,  and  everywhere,  except  upon 
the  steepest  slopes,  a  mantle  of  soil  has  accumulated  over  them, 
forming  the  smooth  surface  of  the  land.  The  soil  is  richest  and 
deepest  in  the  valleys,  where  the  rains  have  washed  the  finer  par- 
ticles from  the  steepest  slopes. 

2.  California  has  a  favorable  climate:  A  favorable  climate  is 
the  first  thing  that  Nature  requires  for  a  garden.  The  soil  may  be 
rich  but,  unless  there  is  the  right  amount  of  water  and  a  warm  sun, 
plants  will  not  thrive. 

We  have  taken  the  natural  gardens  of  this  region,  cultivated 
the  soil,  added  water  where  it  was  needed,  set  out  in  them  plants 
from  many  other  parts  of  the  world,  and  now,  because  of  the  many 


California  11 

sorts  of  climate  which  they  possess,  we  raise  almost  everything 
which  one  could  wish. 

We  can  say  then  truly,  that,  with  the  exception  of  the  very 
hot  and  moist  tropics,  we  grow  in  California  food  products  native 
to  all  the  climates  and  countries  of  the  world. 

The  valleys  along  the  coast  are  cool  and  moist  and  the  temper- 
ature varies  but  little  between  winter  and  summer. 

The  climate  of  the  mountains  is  warm  in  summer  and  cold  and 
snowy  in  winter. 

Behind  the  mountains,  where  the  sea  winds  do  not  reach,  the 
summer  is  very  hot  and  the  rainfall  is  small,  while  still  farther  in 
the  interior  are  dry  and  burning  deserts. 

3.  California  has  a  rich  plant  and  animal  life:  When  first  dis- 
covered by  white  people  California  was  found  to  support  a  won- 
derful variety  of  plant  and  animal  life.  The  forests  were  not  sur- 
passed by  any  others  in  the  whole  world.  The  mountains  and  val- 
leys were  alive  with  animals  and  land  birds,  while  the  marshes,  lakes 
and  shores  were  covered  with  water  birds. 

Is  all  of  California  a  luxuriant  garden? 

A  favorable  climate  and  fertile  soil  are  needed  to  make  a  gar- 
den. Nature  has  not  given  these  equally  to  all  parts  of  California. 
As  we  journey  through  the  valleys  and  over  the  mountains  we  see 
that  the  animals  are  more  abundant  and  the  vegetation  richer  in 
some  places  than  in  others. 

It  rains  more  toward  the  north,  so  that  in  that  direction  the 
forests  are  heavier.  The  valleys  near  the  coast  receive  more  rain 
than  those  of  the  interior.  The  mountains  receive  more  rain  than 
the  valleys. 

If  we  climb  to  the  summit  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  we 
find  that  it  steadily  becomes  colder.  We  reach  a  region  at  last 
where  it  is  so  cold  that  the  trees  grow  only  to  the  size  of  bushes 
or  disappear  entirely.  Here  there  are  few  animals  and  no  vegeta- 
tion but  Arctic  flowers  and  mosses. 

From  the  summits  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Sierra  Madre  Moun- 
tains we  can  look  down  upon  vast  desert  plains  shut  off  from  the 
cool,  moist  winds  of  the  coast.  The  animals  and  plants  that  inhabit 
this  region  are  curious  and  unfamiliar,  for  they  have  become  changed 
by  living  where  there  is  little  rain. 

We  learn,  then,  that  Nature  has  bestowed  her  gifts  very  un- 
evenly over  California.  Certain  parts  are  barren  because  of  too  little 
rain,  while  other  parts  are  barren  because  of  too  great  cold.  The 
larger  part,  however,  has  a  climate  suited  to  the  making  of  a  vast' 
and   fruitful   garden. 

What  led  to  the  settlement  and  cultivation  of  this  garden? 

1.  Our  California  Garden  remained  for  many  years  much  as 
Nature  made  it:  The  Indians  inhabited  California  for  hundreds  of 
years,   but  they  had   no   use   for  the   forests,  nor  did   they   cultivate 


12 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


the  soil.     Wild  game,  fish,  roots  and  nuts  furnished  enough  for  their 
simple  needs. 

When  the  Spanish  came  they,  too,  found  little  need  for  work. 
From  the  fertile  soil  and  from  the  increase  of  their  herds  they  ob- 
tained, with  little  exertion,  all  that  they  required. 

2.  The  discovery  of  gold  and  the  coming  of  an  energetic  and 
industrious  people:  When  gold  was  discovered  everything  was  sud- 
denly changed.  Thousands  of  brave,  active  and  energetic  men  poured 
into  California  from  the  Eastern  States.  They  overcame  untold  dan- 
gers on  the  long  journey  and  suffered  many  hardships  in  the  new 
land.  Thus  it  came  about  that,  after  many  years  of  quiet,  the  great 
state  of  California  was  born  almost  in  a  day  and  is  now  one  of  the 
most  important  in  our  country. 

3.  The  growth  of  a  market  for  produce  and  the  opening  of  a 


Placer  miners  panning  the  gravel  for  gold. 


way  to  reach  this  market:  The  greater  part  of  the  people  of  the 
United  States  live  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  far  from  California. 
The  mild  climate  of  the  valleys  of  our  state  permit  the  growing  here 
of  manv  things  which  cannot  be  grown  in  the  East  and  which  the 
people  there  are  glad  to  get.  But  until  we  had  secured  a  cheap  and 
easy  means  of  sending  our  produce  to  this  market,  there  was  no  use 
in  raising  more  than  we  needed  at  home. 

Hides  and  tallow  had  been   shipped  away   by  water   since   the 
earliest   days.      After   the   discovery  of   gold  the   growing  of   wheat, 


California  13 

oats  and  barley  became,  next  to  the  raising  of  cattle  and  sheep,  the 
most  important  farm  industry,  for  they,  too,  could  be  shipped  by 
water.  The  building  of  the  railroads  finally  opened  the  Eastern  mar- 
ket and  led  to  the  rapid  settlement  of  the  fertile  valleys.  Many  thou- 
sands of  carloads  of  fruit  and  vegetables  are  now  sent  East  across 
the  continent  every  year,  while  the  opening  of  the  Panama  Canal 
affords  still  other  markets. 

Topic  III. — California  as  the  Home  of  the  Indian. 

Where    did    the    Indians    come    from,    and    have    they    been 
here  long? 

When  white  people  first  visited  California  they  found  it  settled 
thickly  with  Indians.  There  were  many  different  tribes,  each  speak- 
ing a  different  language,  but  their  features,  their  habits  and  cus- 
toms were  much  alike. 

It  is  believed  from  the  resemblance  of  the  features  and  customs 
of  the  Indians  to  those  of  the  natives  of  Northeastern  Asia  (Siberia) 
that  their  ancestors  came  from  that  region.  They  could  reach  Alaska 
across  Behring  Strait,  and  then  it  was  easy  to  migrate  southward. 

There  are  several  reasons  for  believing  that  the  Indians  have 
been  here  thousands  of  years.  One  is  that  they  speak  so  many  dif- 
ferent languages.  It  must  have  taken  many  thousands  of  years  for 
languages  so  distinct  to  grow  out  of  the  common  language  which 
their  ancestors  probably  spoke. 

Another  reason  is  furnished  by  the  shell  mounds.  The  Indians 
used  to  gather  along  the  shores  of  the  ocean  and  bays  for  feasts  of 
shell-fish.  The  refuse  from  these  feasts  slowly  accumulated  and 
finally  formed  mounds ;  the  largest  of  these  are  at  Shell  Mound  Park 
and  at  Richmond  on  the  shore  of  San  Francisco  Bay.  These  mounds 
were  begun  so  long  ago  that  since  that  time  there  have  been  changes 
in  the  level  of  the  sea  and  land.  The  bases  of  these  mounds  are 
now  sunken  below  the  level  of  the  bay. 

Something  about  the  life  of  the  Indians. 

The  climate  of  much  of  California  is  so  mild  that  the  Indians 
wore  little  clothing.  Their  huts  were  very  simple  and  easily  made. 
A  common  form  was  a  circular  one,  made  by  placing  poles  in  the 
ground  and  bending  them  over  and  tying  them  at  the  top.  These 
poles  were  covered  with  skins,  bark,  reeds  or  branches,  and  then 
sometimes  plastered  with  mud  on  the  outside. 

They  did  not  cultivate  the  soil,  but  had  no  difficulty  in  getting 
what  they  wanted  to  eat.  The  water  was  full  of  fish  and  the  land 
abounded  with  game.  Besides  these,  there  were  berries,  nuts,  acorns 
and  many  kinds  of  roots.  Because  of  their  custom  of  digging  roots, 
these  Indians  have  often  been  called  "Diggers." 

They  made  no  pottery  or  cloth,  but  wove  beautiful  baskets 
which  we  now  prize  very  highly.  They  crushed  their  food  in  stone 
mortars,  which  were  sometimes  mere  hollows  worn  in  a  large  flat  rock. 


14 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


Why  have  the  Indians  so  nearly  disappeared? 

Once  the  villages 
of  the  Indians  could 
be  seen  thickly  scat- 
tered  along  the 
streams  and  about 
the  springs.  We 
can  still  tell  where 
they  were  by  the 
dark  rich  soil  filled 
with  fragments  of 
bone,  shells  and 
flint  arrow  points. 

Xow  we  seldom 
see  an  Indian  except 
in  the  wilder  and 
less  settled  parts  of 
the  state.  The  Padres 
tried  to  civilize  them 
and  make  them  live 
in  houses,  but  they 
became  sickly  and 
rapidly  died  off.  The 
most  of  those  that 
still  remain  live  upon 
lands  called  Reser- 
vations, which  are 
held  by  the  Govern- 
ment for  their  use. 
They  get  a  part  of 
their  living  from 
cultivating  the  land 
and  a  part  from  hir- 
ing out  to  white 
farmers. 

Our  treatment  of 
the  Indians  has  not 
always  been  just  or 
wise.  We  should 
protect  them  and  al- 
low them  to  live  the 
sort  of  life  for  which 
Xature  has  fitted 
them. 

Topic  IV. — California  as  the  Home  of  the  Spaniard. 

How  was  it  that  California  was  settled  first  by  the  Spaniards? 
1.     Because  of  nearness  to  Mexico  with  a  direct  route  by  sea: 
When  Balboa  discovered  the  Pacific  Ocean  he  claimed  for  Spain  all 
the  lands  bordering  upon  it. 


A  Digger  pine,  so  named  because  the  nuts  are 
used  by  the  Digger  Indians. 

Found  in  the  Coast  Ranges  and  foothills  of  the 
Sierras. 


California 


15 


After  the  conquest  of  Mexico  the  Spaniards  embarked  upon  the 
new  ocean  for  the  purpose  of  taking  possession  of  its  lands  and 
converting  the  natives  to  the  Catholic  religion. 

They-  first  landed  upon  Lower  or  Baja  California,  which  they 
took  to  be  an  island.  Then  they  sailed  northward  and  reached  the 
land  about  which  we  are  studying  and  called  it  Upper  or  Alta 
California. 

2.  Because  the  American  colonies  were  far  away  and  separated 
by  hostile  Indians,  mountains  and  deserts:  The  first  American  set- 
tlers had  all  they  could  do  to  establish  their  homes  upon  the  At- 
lantic Coast  without  attempting  to  explore  and  settle  the  vast  land 
which  extended  away  into  the  interior  of  the  continent. 

Besides  this  there  were  many  more  barriers  in  the  way  of  such 
explorations  than  lay  in  the  paths  of  the  Spaniards.  In  the  first 
place,  forests  inhabited  by  savage  Indians  stretched  westward  over 
the  Appalachian  Mountains  to  the  Mississippi  Valley.  Beyond  this 
valley   were   broad   plains   reaching  to   the   Rocky   Alountains;    then 


A  Klamath  River  Indian. 


16  New  Progressive  Geographies 

hundreds   of   miles   of   deserts,   and,    last    of    all,    the    Sierra    Nevada 
Mountains. 

Our  New  England  forefathers  knew  nothing  of  all  this  region, 
nor  had  they  heard  of  California  and  its  attractions.  Even  as  late 
as  the  Mexican  War  and  the  conquest  of  California,  many  of  the 
people  in  the  East  thought  the  Far  West  was  a  worthless,  barren 
region  which  it  would  never  pay  to  bother  about. 

Why  was  it  that  most  of  the  Spaniards  settled  near  the  Coast 
of  CaHfornia? 

It  was  easier  to  reach  California  by  sea  than  by  land,  for  many 
hundreds  of  miles  of  sandy  desert  lay  between  this  region  and  Mex- 
ico. For  this  reason  the  land  journey  was  not  only  dangerous  but 
required  a  long  time. 

It  was  but  natural,  then,  that  the  first  settlements  should  be 
made  at  those  places  upon  the  coast,  such  as  San  Diego  and  Mon- 
terey, where  there  was  protection  for  ships. 

The  valleys  near  the  sea  offered  attractive  places  for  settle- 
ments. Here  there  was  water  for  irrigation  and  large  areas  of  rich 
land.  Inland  the  climate  was  found  to  be  drier  and  besides  there 
was  more  danger  of  attack  by  Indians. 

What  influenced  the  Padres  in  their  selection  of  Mission  sites 
and  towns? 

The  Padres  soon  learned  that  the  new  land  had  long,  dry  sum- 
mers, like  those  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed  in  Mexico  and 
Spain.  To  grow  successful  gardens  in  such  a  climate  it  would  be 
necessary  to  irrigate  them,  and  hence  their  settlements  were  made 
where  there  was  plenty  of  water.  The  Padres  also  had  in  mind  the 
quality  of  the  soil. 

Hence  every  Mission  was  placed  in  a  rich  and  well-watered  val- 
ley. The  places  selected  were  also  determined,  in  part,  by  their 
nearness  to  the  villages  of  large  numbers  of  Indians,  so  that  they 
could  be  more  easily  induced  to  attend  religious  services. 

Why  did  the  Spanish  settlers  cultivate  so  little  of  these  rich 

lands  ? 

Each  mission  or  rancho  had  its  own  carefully-kept  garden  and 
grain-fields  to  supply  the  home  needs,  but  it  was  useless  to  raise 
more,  for  there  was  no  market. 

As  a  result  most  of  the  land  remained  unplowed  and  covered 
with  its  natural  carpet  of  wild  grasses.  On  these  pasture  lands 
countless  thousands  of  cattle  and  sheep  fed.  However,  even  they 
were  of  little  value,  for  hides,  tallow  and  wool  were  the  only  pro- 
ducts for  which  there  was  a  market.  Trading  vessels,  which  occa- 
sionally visited  the  coast,  took  these  things  in  exchange  for  various 
manufactured  articles. 


Santa  Barbara.     A  Typical  Mission  Scene 


California  17 

How   the   geography   of    Northern    Cahfornia   hindered   that 
region  from  becoming  a  Russian  province. 

The  Russians  discovered  and  claimed  Alaska  and  built  trading 
posts  along  its  shores.  They  had  great  need  of  fresh  meat  and  veg- 
etables in  this  far  northern  region,  and,  searching  for  a  place  in 
which  they  could  supply  themselves  with  these  things,  sailed  down 
the  coast  to  California. 

Finding  the  land  unoccupied  they  landed  a  few  miles  north  of 
the  mouth  of  Russian  River  and  built  a  stockade  to  which  they  gave 
the  name  of  Fort  Ross.  They  explored  the  adjoining  country,  went 
on  hunting  expeditions  to  the  Farallone  Islands,  and  even  entered 
San  Francisco  Bay.  They  would  have  liked  to  have  taken  possession 
of  this  fair  region,  but  feared  to  disturb  the  Spanish,  who  had  already 
established  the  Presidio  of  San  Francisco  and  laid  claim  to  all  the 
surrounding  region. 

The  Russians  never  extended  their  territory  inland  from  Fort 
Ross,  for  the  unbroken  Coast  Ranges,  steep  and  difficult  to  cross, 
shut  away  from  them  the  warm  and  fertile  valleys  of  the  interior. 

As  a  direct  result  of  the  obstacles  which  Nature  had  placed  in 
the  way  of  the  Russians  enlarging  their  holdings,  they  finally  aban- 
doned the  fort  and  sailed  away. 

How  did  Cahfornia  appear  when  in  1848  it  became  a  part  of 
our  country? 

If  we  could  have  visited  California  at  this  time  we  should  have 
looked  upon  a  vast  region  of  forested  mountains,  oak-dotted  valleys 
and  almost  boundless  plains.  The  whole  country  still  remained 
almost  as  Nature  made  it. 

A  few  white  settlers  occupied  the  valleys  near  the  coast.  A 
string  of  missions  stretched  from  San  Diego  to  Sonoma  and  close 
to  them  had  grown  up  a  few  small  towns.  The  chief  of  these  were 
San  Diego,  Los  Angeles,  Ventura,  Santa  Barbara,  San  Luis  Obispo, 
Monterey,  Santa  Cruz  and  San  Jose. 

As  the  Spanish  settlers  came  they  were  given  grants  of  land  by 
the  Mexican  government.  Nearly  all  the  best  lands  of  the  coast 
region  were  thus  divided  into  ranchos  which  were  often  many  miles 
in  extent. 

Here  and  there  were  the  white-washed  adobe  ranch  houses  with 
their  many  outbuildings  and  corrals.  There  were  no  fences,  but 
each  man's  cattle  were  known  by  the  "brand." 

Twice  a  year  each  man  held  what  was  called  a  Rodeo  or 
"Round  Up,"  which  simply  meant  the  gathering  of  all  his  cattle. 
The  spring  round-up  was  for  the  purpose  of  branding  the  calves, 
while  that  of  the  fall  was  for  separating  the  stock  intended  for 
market. 

The  Rodeo,  as  well  as  the  sheep-shearing  time,  were  the  occa- 
sions of  merriment  and  festivity. 

Antelope,  elk  and  deer  abounded.     The  thickets  were  filled  with 


18 


New  Progrkssive  Geographies 


Fort  Ross — Coast  Ranges  in  background.    Boat  loading  by 
cable  in  foreground. 

bear  and  other  predatory  animals.  The  forests  were  almost  un* 
touched  and  most  of  the  land  was  unplowed.  In  the  spring  the 
valleys  and  plains  were  covered  with  the  brilliant  poppy  and  other 
wild  flowers. 

The  end  of  the  quiet  California  days. 

The  discovery  of  gold  a  few  months  after  the  conquest  of  Cali- 
fornia made  a  wonderful  change.  Gold  seekers  began  to  pour  into 
California  from  every  direction.  They  came  in  through  the  Golden 
Gate  and  passed  up  the  Sacramento  River.  They  crossed  the  moun, 
tains  and  deserts  in  their  ox-wagons  by  way  of  Oregon,  by  way  of 
Arizona,  but,  in  greatest  numbers,  by  the  main  overland  trail  through 
Nevada  and  across  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains. 

They  came  by  the  thousands  and  scattered  through  the  foot- 
hills of  the  gold  belt  and  then  spread  into  the  fertile  valleys.  Life 
and  bustle  succeeded  the  quiet  which  had  reigned  here  so  long. 


SUMMARY. 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  California  led  to  the  rapid  settlement 
of  a  region  remote  and  difficult  to  reach. 

When  mining  became  less  profitable  the  pioneers  turned  to  the 
cultivation  of  the  fertile  valleys,  and  soon  this  state,  which  first  be- 
came widely  known  as  a  land  of  gold,  became  even  more  celebrated 
for  its  golden  fruits  and  agreeable  climate. 

Neither  the  Indians  nor  the  Spanish   made   use  of  the   natural 


California  19 

resources  of  California.  In  a  short  time  after  the  coming  of  the 
Americans  these  were  developed  more  than  they  had  been  during 
all  the  past  history  of  the  region. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS.       -•,. 

Why  is  gold  so  earnestly  sought  after?  ~    <<^v  ^ 

Why  was  it  so  difficult  to  reach  California  in  the  early  days? 

Describe  any  Indians  which  you  have  seen. 

Tell  what  you  can  about  their  w^eapons   and  utensils. 

Why  did  the  Indians  disappear  so  quickly  from  the  most  of  Cali- 
fornia? 

Did  any  American  Indians  cultivate  the  soil  before  the  whites  came? 

Why  did  the  Spanish  settlers  give  the  most  of  their  attention  to 
stock   raising? 

Why  did  they  not  settle  the  interior  valleys? 

By  what  routes  and  by  what  means  is  produce  now  shipped  out 
of  California? 

Mention  some  of  the  most  important  things  which  w^e  export. 

What  other  country  besides  Russia  would  have  liked  to  obtain 
California? 

Tell  from  your  own  observations  something  about  the  differences 
in  the  climate  of  the  coast,  the  mountains,  and  the  interior. 

Tell  what  is  needed  in  order  to  raise  a  good  garden. 

How  are  lands,  in  those  parts  of  California  w^here  the  rainfall  is 
not  sufficient,   made  to  produce   abundantly? 

PRACTICAL  LESSONS. 

A  country  of  mountains  and  valleys  has  a  more  varied  climate 
than  a  level   country. 

Men  W'ill  undergo  the  greatest  hardships  and  dangers  and  go  to 
the   most   distant   regions   in  the   hope   of  getting  gold. 

If  the  geography  of  California  had  been  different  it  might  never 
have  become  a  part  of  the  United  States. 

A  garden  may  be  ever  so  rich,  but  it  will  produce  little  but  use- 
less weeds  if  not  cultivated. 

California  w-as  so  far  aw^ay  and  so  difficult  to  reach  that  if  it  had 
not  been  for  gold  it  would  have  settled  up  slowly. 

Civilized  people  make  much  more  use  of  the  natural  resources  of 
a  country  than  do  savages. 


PHYSICAL   MAP 

*    OF 

CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER  IT. 

Topic  I. — The  Main  Routes  by  Which  the  Pioneers 
Reached  CaHfornia. 

Did  the  Pioneers  have  maps  to  guide  them  in  tlieir  journey 
across  the  continent  to  the  new  land? 

Before  the  discovery  of  gold  little  was  known  of  all  that  vast 
region  between  the  Mississippi  River  and  the  Pacific  Coast.  The 
first  men  to  penetrate  the  recesses  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  were 
the  trappers  and  traders  in  search  of  furs.  Then  came  the  noted 
expedition  of  Lewis  and  Clark  which  was  the  first  to  cross  the 
Rocky  Mountains  and  reach  the  Pacific.  The  route  followed  was, 
however,  far  to  the  north  of  that  used  by  the  gold  seekers,  lying 
as  it  did  much  of  the  distance  along  the  Missouri,  Snake  and  Co- 
lumbia Rivers. 

General  Fremont  did  more  than  any  one  else  to  make  known 
the  routes  to  California,  and  for  that  reason  has  been  called  the 
"Pathfinder."  He  and  his  party  nearly  perished  in  mid-winter  on 
the  summit  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  while  trying  to  find  a 
river  which  they  supposed  rose  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  flowed 
westward  into  San  Francisco  Bay.  They  found,  instead  of  a  river, 
a  lofty  snow-covered  range  of  mountains  called  by  the  Spanish 
Sierra  Nevada,  meaning  snowy  range. 

If  such  a  river  had  really  existed  it  would  have  been  easy  for 
the  pioneers  after  crossing  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  follow  it  down 
to  California.  Many  perished  while  seeking  out  new  trails,  for  they 
did  not  know  of  the  dangers  ahead  of  them.  The  first  maps  of  this 
region,  as  in  the  case  of  that  used  by  General  Fremont,  were  worse 
than  no  maps,  for  they  were  so  incorrect. 

The  water  routes  to  California. 

There  were  two  ways  of  reaching  California  by  water.  The 
shorter  way  was  down  the  Atlantic  Coast  to  the  Isthmus  of  Panama, 
and  then  up  the  Pacific  to  San  Francisco.  Thousands  came  this  way, 
but  many  died  of  fevers  while  crossing  the  Isthmus. 

The  longer  water  route  was  around  Cape  Horn,  the  southern 
point  of  South  America.  This  journey  took  six  months  and  was 
also  dangerous  because  of  the  frequent  and  severe  storms  around 
the  cape. 

A  large  part  of  the  supplies  for  California  came  around  Cape 
Horn  in  the  early  days,  and  continued  to  do  so  down  to  the  time 
of  the  opening  of  the  Panama  Canal. 

The  land  routes  to  California. 

We  must  remember  in  the  first  place  that  the  vast  region  which 
lay  between  the  Mississippi  River  and  the  Pacific  Ocean  was  almost 
unknown  at  the  time  of  the  gold  excitement.     It  was  made  up  of 


22  New  Progressive  Geographies 

broad  plains,  mountain  ranges  and  deserts.  The  mountains  were 
difficult  to  cross,  while  the  deserts  were  almost  without  water  and 
forage.  The  roads  or  "trails"  must  for  these  reasons  follow  cer- 
tain routes  where  there  were  streams  or  springs  and  cross  the  moun- 
tains at  points  where  they  were  lowest — that  is,  through  mountain 
passes.  There  were  a  number  of  different  routes  which  we  ought 
to  know  something  about. 

A.  The  Great  Salt  Lake  and  Carson  Trail :  This  was  the  direct 
route  used  by  most  of  the  emigrants.  It  started  at  St,  Louis  and 
followed  the  Platte  River  much  of  the  way  across  the  plains.  Pass- 
ing through  the  Rocky  Mountains  a  little  north  of  Great  Salt  Lake, 
it  crossed  the  deserts  of  Utah  until,  reaching  the  Humboldt  River 
in  what  is-  now  Nevada,  it  descended  this  river  to  the  "Sink  of  the 
Carson."  Here  was  the  broad,  much  dreaded,  desert  in  which  the 
waters  of  the  Carson  River  sink. 

After  the  crossing  of  the  desert  came  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  If 
it  was  summer  their  cool  forests  and  refreshing  waters  were  greatly 
enjoyed.  At  other  seasons  its  winds  were  icy  and  snows  blocked 
the  trails.  When  once  these  mountains  were  passed  it  was  easy 
to  reach  the  gold  fields  which  lay  along  their  western  base. 

B.  The  Santa  Fe  Trail:  The  Santa  Fe  Trail  was  the  old  trad- 
ing route  from  St.  Louis  to  New  Mexico  and  Old  Mexico.  The 
emigrants  followed  this  trail  to  Santa  Fe  and  then  turned  west 
across  Arizona  toward  Southern  California.  This  route  was  more 
dangerous  than  the  northern  one  because  there  were  more  deserts 
and  the  Indians  were  more  savage.  After  reaching  Fort  Yuma,  on 
the  border  of  California,  they  had  still  the  dreaded  Colorado  Desert 
to  cross  before  reaching  San  Diego  or  Los  Angeles. 


Strange  work  of  the  waves  at  Point  Buchon  near  San  Luis  Obispo. 


California 


23 


C.  The  Oregon  Trail:  It  was  difficult  to  go  from  Oregon  into 
California  in  the  early  days.  The  steep  mountains  and  deep,  nar- 
row canons  which  lay  in  the  way  could  not  be  traversed  until 
years  later,  when  costly  roads  had  been  built. 

Peter  Lassen  opened  a  rough  road  across  the  volcanic  plateau 
of  Northeastern  California.  It  passed  near  the  great  volcano  now- 
called   Lassen   Peak.     Few  emigrants  came  by  this   route. 

D.  The  old  Mormon  Trail:  A  trail  used  by  some  of  the  early 
Mormon  settlers  of  Southern  California  started  at  Salt  Lake  City 
and  led  in  a  southwesterly  direction  across  Southern  Nevada.  It 
crossed  the  broad  Mohave  Desert  and  ended  in  the  Valley  of  San 
Bernardino.  This  route  was  not  used  much  because  of  the  almost 
continuous  desert  with  little  water  and  feed  for  cattle. 

Topic  II. — The  California  Coast  Presented  Many  Dififi- 
culties  to  the  Early  Explorers. 

The  difficulties  of  the  early  navigators. 

We  read  in  the  tales  of  the  early  navigators  who  sailed  along 
the  California  coast  that  they  found  the  shore  rocky  and  mountain- 
ous with  few  places  where  they  could  anchor  their  ships  in  safety. 
They  also  report  many  storms  and  head  winds  which  continually  beat 
them  back.     None  of  them  got  farther  north  than  Cape  Mendocino. 

Both  Drake  and  Vizcaino  sailed  past  the  Golden  Gate,  and, 
probably  because  of  fog,  did  not  see  the  narrow  entrance  to  the 
magnificent  Bay  of  San  Francisco. 

How  did  the  mountainous  coast  hinder  exploration  by  land? 

There  would  have  been  little  difficulty  in  going  from  San  Diego 

to   San    Francisco   and   northward   even    to   Oregon   if   the   explorers 


Morro  Rock — nearly  600  feet  high.     The  grandest  monument  on  the 
coast  of  California. 


24  New  Procressive  Geographies 

could  have  followed  the  shore  all  the  way.  This  was  impossible, 
however,  because  in  many  places  the  mountains  come  directly  down 
to  the  sea  so  that  there  is  not  room  for  a  road  or  even  a  trail  be- 
tween the  rocky  clififs  of  the  ocean  and  the  steep  slopes  of  the 
mountains. 

How  would  travel  along  the  shore  be  made  easier  if  the  land 
should  rise  a  little,  exposing  a  strip  of  the  ocean  floor? 

Many  soundings  have  been  made  in  the  ocean  along  the  coast 
so  that  we  know  much  about  the  bottom.  The  water  has  been  found 
to  be  shallow  in  most  places  and  the  bottom  almost  as  even  as  a 
floor.  If  the  land  now  stood  as  high  as  it  did  once  the  shore  would 
be  many  miles  out  under  the  blue  waters  of  the  Pacific. 

The  smooth  floor  of  the  ocean  thus  exposed  would  have  ofifered 
an  open  highway  for  travel  the  whole  length  of  California  if  peo- 
ple had  only  been  here  to  make  use  of  it.  Unfortunately  the  land 
sank  long  before  any  one  came  to  these  shores.  Now  mountains 
and  deserts  form  a  serious  barrier  betw^een  Southern  and  Northern 
California. 

What  more  can  we  learn  from  the  soundings  along  the  Cali- 
fornia Coast? 

The  soundings  tell  us  also  that  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  along 
our  coast  is  quite  like  a  plain  in  most  places  and  that  the  w^ater 
is  shallow  for  some  distance  out  from  the  shore.  The  strip  of  shal- 
low water  is  about  ten.  miles  wide  along  the  coast  of  Northern  Cali- 
fornia, but  broadens  toward  the  south  until  it  finally  becomes  nearly 
tw^o  hundred  miles  across. 

Outside  of  the  shallows  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  floor  descends 
very  steeply  to  the  deep  Pacific,  so  that  if  the  water  could  be  taken 
away  and  we  could  see  the  bottom  it  would  appear  like  a  shoulder 
along  the  border  of  the  land. 

This  shoulder,  although  now  below  the  sea,  marks  the  western 
edge  of  the  continent.  It  has  the  form  of  a  plateau  beneath  the 
sea  and  so  we  call  it  the  submerged  continental  plateau. 

How  would  the  shore  be  afl:'ected  if  the  land  should  rise  one 
thousand  feet? 

The  change  in  the  shore  line  would  be  so  great  that  we  would 
hardly  recognize  the  new  land  as  California.  The  present  bays 
would  all  become  dry  land,  while  new  ones  far  out  under  the  pres- 
ent water  would  take  their  place.  Thousands  of  acres  of  fertile 
valley  land  would  be  added  to  the  state. 

The  new  shore  would  lie  outside  the  Farallone  Islands  which 
would  become  a  part  of  the  mainland.  A  long,  narrow  bay  extend- 
ing up  nearly  to  the  present  mouth  of  the  Salinas  River  w^ould  take 
the  place  of  Monterey  Bay.  The  Santa  Barbara  Islands  would  be- 
come a  part  of  the  mainland  also  and  have  a  great  bay  behind  them. 
Farther  south  Santa  Catalina  and  San  Clemente  would  still  remain 


California 


25 


islands  and   many   shoals  forming  new   islands   would   appear  above 
the  water. 

What  reason  have  we  for  beheving  that  most  of  the  islands 
have  been  a  part  of  the  mainland? 

Upon  the  Santa  Barbara  Islands  have  been  found  the  bones  of 
animals  that  once  lived  in  California  but  which  are  now  extinct. 
Among-  these  were  the  mastodon  and  horse.  These  animals  could 
have  reached  the  islands  only  when  they  were  connected  with  the 
mainland. 

Topic  III. — The  Slopes  of  the  Land,  and  the  Position  of  the 
Mountains  and  Rivers  of  California  Made  it  Dif- 
ficult for  the  Pioneers  to  Reach  the 
Mines  by  All  but  One  Route. 

Introduction. 

Nature  has  placed  many  obstacles  in  the  way  of  our  getting 
those  things  which  we  prize  most,  and  we  shall  now  see  how  true 
this  was  of  our  California  gold. 

The  most  important  placer  mines  were  found  in  the  foothills 
of   the   Sierra    Nevada    Mountains   on   the   eastern    side   of   the    San 


A  wave-cut  terrace  and  caves  near  Port  Harford.     Made  when  the  ocean 
stood  ten  feet  higher, 


26  New  Progressive  Geographies 

Joaquin-Sacramento  Valley,   and  in  the   Klamath  Mountains  at  the 
north  end  of  this  valley. 

Except  for  the  single  'outlet  through  which  flows  the  Sacra- 
mento River,  this  great  valley  is  rimmed  all  about  by  mountains, 
while  beyond  these  are  other  mountains  and  deserts. 

How  did  those  who  came  by  water  reach  the  mines? 

1.  The  Colorado  River  could  not  be  used  as  a  route  to  the 
mines:  Why  could  not  the  "gold  seekers"  coming  by  ship  to  Cali- 
fornia have  sailed  up  the  Gulf  of  California  and  have  entered  the 
Colorado  River?  This  great  stream,  as  the  map  shows  us,  forms 
the  southeastern  boundary  of  California  and  appears  to  offer  an  easy 
way  far  inland  toward  the  north. 

In  reality,  however,  the  Colorado  River  is  almost  impassable 
for  boats  except  the  smallest  flat-bottomed  ones.  The  current  is 
rapid  and  the  water  shallow  and  full  of  ever  shifting  sand-bars. 
The  lower  course  of  the  river  is  through  deserts,  while  its  middle 
part  is  in  a  mighty  canon. 

2.  What  can  we  say  of  the  Klamath  River  as  a  possible  route 
from  the  coast  to  the  mines?  Our  map  shows  that  the  Klamath  is 
a  large  river  rising  in  Oregon  and  following  westerly  across  North- 
ern California. 

If  we  could  visit  this  region  we  should  discover  that  its  course 
is  through  the  Klamath  Mountains  in  a  deep  canon  and  that  there 
is  no  harbor  or  landing  place  at  its  mouth. 

The  Klamath  River  and  tributary  streams  were  rich  in  placer 
gold,  but  the  stream  was  no  use  to  the  miners  in  reaching  this 
region.  They  had  to  cross  the  very  rugged  country  which  lay  be- 
tween its  basin  and  the  Sacramento  Valley. 

3.  San  Francisco  Bay  and  Sacramento  River  route:  After  hav- 
ing searched  in  vain  along  the  coast  of  California  for  any  other  prac- 
tical route  to  the  mines,  we  turn  to  San  Francisco  Bay  and  the  great 
river  which  empties  into  it. 

We  now  learn  why  all  the  ships  with  their  loads  of  gold  seek- 
ers from  all  parts  of  the  world  came  to  San  Francisco.  Here  was 
perfect  protection  from  the  storms.  Here  was  a  great  bay  opening 
far  into  the  interior.  From  the  head  of  this  bay  a  navigable  river 
led  almost  to  the  mining  camps. 

Once  at  San  Francisco  all  the  gold  seekers  had  to  do  was  to 
embark  on  river  boats.  This  took  them  up  through  San  Pablo  Bay, 
the  Strait  of  Carquinez  and  into  Suisun  Bay.  Here  they  were  in 
the  delta  region  of  the  Great  Central  Valley. 

In  this  delta  two  streams  were  found  coming  together.  The 
one  from  the  northern  arm  of  the  Great  Valley  was  called  the  Sac- 
ramento, the  one  from  the  southern  arm  of  the  valley  was  called 
the  San  Joaquin. 

Following  up  the  river  which  came  from  the  north  they  came 
to  the  town  of  Sacramento,  which  had  grown  up  near  Sutter's  Fort. 
It  was  an  important  point  for  distributing  supplies  and  was  also 
the  end  of  the  overland  trail. 


California 


27 


Farther  up  the  Sacramento  River  was  Red  Bluff  at  the  head  of 
navigation.  This  tov^n  w^as  an  important  supply  point  for  the  north- 
ern mines  in  Shasta  and  Siskiyou  Counties. 

The  farthest  point  reached  by  boats  on  the  Feather  River,  a 
branch  of  the  Sacramento,  determined  the  site  of  Marysville,  an- 
other distributing  point  close  to  the  mines. 

The  miners  who  wished  to  go  to  the  southern  mines  took  a  boat 
for  Stockton,  a  town  which  had  sprung  up  at  the  head  of  navigation 
on  a  branch  of  the  San  Joaquin  River. 

What  difficulties  still  lay  in  the  way  of  those  who  came  over- 
land after  they  had  at  last  reached  the  boundaries  of 
California? 

1.  The  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains:  The  mighty  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains  could  not  be  avoided,  for  they  stretched  north  and  south 
for  four  hundred  miles  directly  in  the  path  of  the  Salt  Lake  trail 
by  which  most  of  the  emigrants  came.  After  they  had  crossed  the 
Great  Plains,  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  deserts  of  Utah  and 
Nevada,  the  Sierras  had  to  be  passed  before  they  could  enter  the 
Golden  Land. 

The  Sierra  Nevadas  are  covered  with  heavy  snows  during  a 
large  part  of  the  year  and  so  the  journey  had  to  be  planned  to  reach 
them  in  summer  or  early  fall.  We  must  remember  also  that  the 
emigrants  who  came  first  had  to  make  their  own  roads.  They  had 
to  get  over  sharp,  rocky  ridges  and  across  precipitous  caiions  where 
sometimes  the  wagons  had  to  be  taken  apart  and  pulled  up  or  let 
down  with  ropes. 


Freighting  on  the  Sacramento  River. 


28  New  Progressive  Geographies 

2.  The  deserts  and  mountains  between  Southern  California  and 
the  Great  Valley:  The  route  to  the  mines  by  the  Santa  Fe  trail 
was  much  longer  and  offered  difficulties  even  after  San  Diego  or 
Los  Angeles  had  been  reached. 

Nature  has  placed  many  obstacles  in  the  way  of  travel  between 
Southern  and  Northern  California.  To  understand  what  these  are 
let  us  take  a  train  from  Los  Angeles  to  Bakersfield.  We  shall  have 
to  cross  three  mountain  ranges,  two  of  them  by  "passes"  and  one 
by  tunnel.  Altogether  there  are  fifty  miles  of  mountains  and  then 
the  Mohave  Desert  covering  fifty  miles  more.  If  we  travel  over 
the  old  stage  road  we  find  the  country  equally  difficult  to  cross. 

The  Mohave  Desert  forms  a  wedge  pointing  westward  and  with 
its  inclosing  mountains  divides  California  into  two  parts,  and  for 
a  long  time  formed  a  serious  barrier  to  travel   and  trade. 

The  only  way  by  which  the  early  traveler  could  escape  this 
barrier  was  by  taking  the  old  trail  used  by  the  Padres  and  known 
as  the  Camino  Real. 

This  trail  lies  through  the  valleys  near  the  coast,  but  it  also 
had  to  cross  several  mountain  ranges. 

To  avoid  the  mountains  between  Ventura  and  Santa  Barbara 
the  trail  descended  at  one  point  to  the  base  of  lofty  ocean  cliffs 
beneath  which  the  traveler  could  pass  only  at  low  tide. 

3.  The  mountains  shutting  off  Oregon:  The  northern  end  of 
the  Sacramento  Valley  is  inclosed  by  mountains  which  are  many 
miles  across  and  were  almost  impassable  in  the  early  days.  This 
difficulty  of  making  a  wagon  road  from  Redding  to  Shasta  Valley 
was  very  great.  When  this  road  was  finally  opened  there  remained 
still  the  Siskiyou  Mountains  to  be  crossed  before  Oregon  could  be 
reached.  Those  who  tried  to  escape  these  mountains  by  entering 
California  over  the  Lassen  trail  found  that  they  had  many  miles  of 
rough  lava  fields  to  cross. 

Topic  IV.— Climate  Has  Had  Much  to  Do  With  the  Settle- 
ment and  Development  of  Our  California  Garden. 

Introduction. 

The  discovery  of  gold  led  to  the  rapid  settlement  of  California, 
but  it  is  its  climate  which  has  had  more  to  do  with  its  permanent 
growth  and  present  importance  than  anything  else. 

Because  the  surface  of  California  is  so  varied,  because  there 
are  many  high  mountains  whose  tops  are  cold,  because  there  are 
lowland  valleys  where  the  sun  strikes  very  hot  in  summer,  because 
there  are  coast  lands  cool  and  moist  from  the  sea  winds,  one  may 
find  here  almost  any  sort  of  climate  he  wishes. 

As  a  result  of  the  many  sorts  of  climate  there  is  grown  here 
a  greater  variety  of  fruits,  nuts,  vegetables  and  grains  than  in  any 
other  country  of  the  same  size  in  the  whole  world. 

We  find  heavy  forests  in  the  north  and  upon  the  mountains.  In 
the  southeast  there  are  deserts  where  little  grows.     In  the  warmer 


California 


29 


valleys  we  find  oranges,  and  even  dates,  and  in  the  cooler  ones  all 
the  fruits  of  the  temperate  climes. 

How  is  it  that  the  early  Spanish  settlers  found   themselves 
at  home  in  the  climate  of  this  region? 

These  early  settlers  came  from  Mexico  and  Spain.  In  both 
countries  they  were  used  to  long,  dry  summers  and  had  learned  the 
need  of  irrigating  their  gardens  with  water  from   the  streams. 


MAP  SHOWTNa 

rusxRiBtrxiON 

or 
RAINFALL 

IN 

CALIFOKXIA 

I         I       0-10  Inches 
10-20     •< 

[  j  20-30  .' 
30-40  " 
40-80      •« 


Thus  it  was  natural  that  in  California  with  a  similar  dry  sum- 
mer they  should  know  what  to  do  and  should  pick  places  for  the 
mission  settlements  and  for  the  ranch  houses  where  water  could 
be  had  for  the  all-important  gardens. 

In  how  far  was  the  climate  of  California  new  to  the  emigrants 
from  the  Eastern  States? 

As  a  usual  thing  rains  fall  frequently  enough  in  the  Eastern 
States  to   keep   the  gardens   fresh   so   that   irrigation    is   not   neces- 


30 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


sary.      There   arc   seasons,   however,    when    the    rains    do    not   come 
and  the  gardens  dry  up. 

It  took  the  newcomers  some  time  to  understand  the  climate  of 
California.  The  summer  season  w^as  found  to  be  without  rain  for 
from  three  to  five  months.  During  this  time  the  interior  valleys  be- 
came very  hot,  but  the  air  was  so  dry  that  they  did  not  feel  the 
heat  so  much  as  they  did  in  the  East. 

The  valleys  did  not  usually  get  cold  enough  in  winter  for  snow 
to  fall,  although  ice  sometimes  formed  at  night.  On  the  mountains 
only  a  few  miles  from  the  valleys  the  climate  was  found  to  be  cold 
with  deep  snows  in  winter. 

In  all  the  lowlands  of  the  state,  excepting  the  deserts  of  the 
southeastern  part,  there  was  usually  rain  enough  to  grow  the  com- 
mon farm  crops.  Irrigation  seemed  a  clumsy  way  of  helping  Nature 
supply  a  sufficient  amount  of  water  and  besides  it  required  much 
work.  It  was  a  long  time  before  the  emigrants  came  to  appreciate 
the  advantages  of  irrigation  and  to  use  it  on  a  large  scale. 

How  can  we  account  for  the  vast  deserts  which  the  emigrants 

had  to  cross  to  reach  CaHfornia? 

1.  The  farther  the  valleys  lie  from  the  coast,  and  the  more 
mountains  there  are  between,  the  drier  they  are:  We  will  take  an 
imaginary  journey,  starting  at  Monterey  and  going  east,  to  learn 
what  we  can  about  this. 

Monterey,  like  other  coast  places,  has  a  mild  even  climate  with 
cool,  foggy  winds  from  the  sea  in  summer.  We  go  but  a  few  miles 
across  the  hills  to  the  Salinas  Valley  and  find  ourselves  already  in  a 
climate  which  is  drier  and  much  warmer. 


A  scene  on  the  new  State  Highway  (the  Camino  Real)  in  a  beautiful  valley 
of  the  Central  Coast  Ranges. 


California  31 

We  next  cross  the  Gavilan  and  Mt.  Diablo  Ranges,  and  de- 
scending from  this  elevated  region,  where  there  is  an  abundant  rain- 
fall, reach  the  western  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  So  little  rain 
falls  here  that  the  countr)^  has  much  the  appearance  of  a  desert. 
The  reason  for  this  is  that  the  mountains  offer  a  barrier  to  the 
storm  clouds  and  winds,  and  take  so  much  of  their  moisture  that 
little  remains  for  the  valley  behind  them.  We  now  cross  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley  and  begin  to  climb  the  Sierra  Nevadas. 

The  higher  we  go  the  cooler  it  becomes,  and  we  can  tell  by 
the  forests  of  great  trees  that  much  more  rain  falls  here  than  in 
the  valley. 

As  we  approach  the  summit  of  the  mountains  the  trees  become 
smaller  and  finally  disappear,  leaving  bare  earth  and  rocks.  The 
winters  are  as  cold  as  in  the  far  north  and  the  snow  lasts  eight 
months  of  the  year. 

Far  below  to  the  east  lies  Owen  Valley,  to  which  we  descend. 
Here  we  are  behind  the  great  mountain  wall  of  the  Sierras.  The 
summers  are  hot  and  the  rainfall  is  very  small. 

Now  the  Inyo-White  Mountain  Range  has  to  be  crossed,  but 
the  few  stunted  trees  even  on  its  lofty  summit  tell  us  that  the 
Sierra  Nevadas  take  so  much  of  the  moisture  from  the  air  that  little 
remains  for  the  country  to  the  eastward. 

We  continue  our  journey  and  soon  pass  from  California  into 
Nevada.  Before  us  for  hundreds  of  miles  stretch  desert  valleys  and 
barren  mountains.  We  have  now  crossed  so  many  mountain  ranges 
and  have  gone  so  far  from  the  ocean  that  we  have  lost  the  sea  winds 
loaded  with  water  particles. 

Unless  we  carry  water  with  us  we  shall  be  obliged  to  turn  aside 
in  search  of  some  one  of  the  few  scattered  springs  hidden  away 
in  the  canons.  In  some  parts,  especially  in  Death  Valley,  the  heat 
of  summer  is  so  great  that  it  is  hardly  safe  to  undertake  a  journey 
except  at  night. 

Although  we  call  this  region  a  desert  there  is  no  place  that 
does  not  receive  a  little  rain.  There  are  many  curious  plants  and 
animals  that  have  become  accustomed  to  living  with  very  little  water. 

Occasionally  summer  thunder  storms  occur  and  then  the  rain 
pours  down  so  fiercely  that  we  call  them  "cloudbursts."  Torrents 
of  water  laden  with  mud,  sand  and  even  boulders  sweep  down  the 
caiions  for  a  few  hours  and  then  dry  up,  while  their  waters  sink 
in  the  sands  of  the  desert  valleys. 

There  is  no  desert  in  California  as  dry  as  the  Sahara  of  North 
Africa. 

2.  Most  of  the  storms  come  from  a  westerly  direction:  We 
must  remember  in  studying  the  climate  of  our  state  that,  although 
there  is  much  fog  and  cloud  along  the  coast  in  the  summer,  nearly 
all  the  rain  falls  during  the  winter  months. 

We  shall  discover,  if  we  watch  carefully,  that  the  storms  gen- 
erally come  from  the  west,  for  in  that  direction  the  clouds  first 
appear,  but  that  the  wind  which  brings  the  rain  is  a  southerly  one. 
We  shall   learn   the   reason   for  this  a   little  later,  but   want  to   re- 


2i2  New  Progressive  Geographies 

member  now  that  throughout  most  of  the  year  the  wind  blows  from 
a  westerly  direction — that  is,  from  the  sea — toward  the  land. 

The  fog  which  is  brought  in  with  the  west  wind  in  summer 
buries  the  coast  lands  and  the  west  slope  of  the  first  range  of 
mountains  in  a  cool  blanket,  through  which  the  sun  may  not  shine 
for  days,  while  the  country  on  the  eastern  side  of  these  mountains 
enjoys  warm,  bright  sunshine. 

The  storms  of  winter  also  strike  the  western  side  of  the  moun- 
tains more  severely,  giving  heavier  rain  there  than  they  do  in  the 
valleys  on  the  eastern  side. 

The  storms  are  heavier  also  high  on  the  mountains  because  of 
the  cold  air  there,  which  changes  more  of  the  fine  water  particles 
to  rain-drops.  The  farmer  there  may  get  all  the  rain  he  needs,  while 
another  farmer  at  the  base  of  the  mountains  receives  very  little. 

The  air  as  it  comes  from  the  sea  can  carry  only  a  certain  quan- 
tity of  water  particles,  and  the  more  mountains  there  are  in  the 
way,  and  the  higher  and  colder  these  mountains  are,  the  more  com- 
pletely will  it  be  robbed  of  these  water  particles. 

The  farther  the  moist  sea  air  goes  inland  the  more  water  it  loses, 
until  finally  there  is  so  little  left  that  no  more  rain  falls  and  the 
clouds  disappear.  This  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  there  are  vast 
deserts  in  the  heart  of  our  continent. 

3.  Near  the  coast  the  summers  are  very  little  warmer  than  the 
winters,  but  in  the  interior  they  are  very  hot:  The  land  warms 
quickly  under  the  bright  summer  sun  and  cools  ofif  again  when  win- 
ter approaches.  The  great  ocean  behaves  very  differently,  as  you 
would  learn  if  you   could  bathe  in   it  some  miles  off  the   California 


A  glacier  on  the  north  slope  of  Shastina. 


California  33 

coast.      You    would   there   find   the   water   uncomfortably   cool   at   all 
times  of  the  year. 

Because  the  ocean  remains  at  so  nearly  the  same  temperature 
the  winds  that  blow  across  it  and  onto  the  land  also  have  an  even 
temperature.  They  make  the  winters  warmer  than  they  otherwise 
would  be  and  the  summers  cooler. 

As  the  winds  pass  over  the  land  they  are  warmed  in  summer 
and  chilled  in  winter.  The  farther  they  reach  into  the  interior  the 
hotter  and  drier  the  air  becomes  in  summer.  Thus  it  is  that  the 
valleys  of  this  region  that  lie  far  from  the  ocean,  and  separated  from 
it  by  lofty   mountains,  are  not  only  very   dry  but   exceedingly  hot. 

4.  The  mountain  ranges  extend  across  the  course  of  the  winds 
and  storms:  We  have  already  learned  that  the  great  deserts  lie  be- 
hind the  mountains,  where  the  cool,  moist  winds  do  not  reach.  This 
means  that  the  storms  do  not  have  a  free  passage  toward  the  east, 
but  that  the  mountains  block  them  and  make  them  drop  so  much  of 
their  moisture  that  the  lands  to  the  eastward  are  desert. 

If  the  mountain  ranges  extended  in  the  same  direction  as  that 
in  which  the  storms  move,  the  interior  valleys  would  be  cooler  and 
would  also  receive  more  rain.  There  would  then  be  no  great  des- 
erts and  the  pioneers  would  have  had  a  much  easier  time  in  reach- 
ing California. 

5.  Toward  the  south  the  mountains  are  higher  and  the  storms 
less  frequent:  If  we  should  go  northward  along  the  coast  from  San 
L>ancisco  through  Oregon  and  A\"ashington  we  would  find  that  the 
rainfall  increases  and  the  rainy  season  becomes  longer. 

The  Cascade  Range  lying  back  of  this  part  of  the  coast  is  not 
high  enough  to  break  the  force  of  the  storms  and  the  valleys  of 
Central  Oregon  and  Washington  receive  a  moderate  amount  of  rain. 

If  we  should  go  southward  toward  San  Diego  we  would  find 
that  it  rains  much  less,  for  the  winter  storms  are  fewer  in  number. 

The  Sierra  Nevada  ^Mountains  extend  north  and  south  through 
Eastern  California  for  nearly  four  hundred  miles  and  for  much  of 
this  distance  are  more  than  tw^elve  thousand  feet  high. 

To  the  east  and  south  of  this  range,  which,  together  with  other 
mountains,  cuts  off  the  sea  winds  and  storms,  are  the  driest  and 
hottest  deserts  in  the  United  States.  Death  Valley,  the  Mohave, 
and  Colorado  Deserts  could  tell  many  stories  of  suffering  and  death. 

\\'hy  the  south  wind  brings  rain. 

We  have  learned  that  the  winds  commonly  blow  from  the  ocean 
toward  the  land  and  that  the  storms  come  from  the  same  direction. 
Then  why  do  we  say  that  it  is  going  to  rain  when  the  south  wind 
blows,  since  the  storms  come  from  the  west? 

The  ocean  of  air  at  the  bottom  of  which  we  live  is  always  in 
motion.  The  main  current  in  this  ocean  over  California  is  from  the 
sea  toward  the  land.  W^hen  a  storm  appears  drifting  in  from  the 
ocean  with   this  air  current  the  air  about  this  storm   is   very   much 


34 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


disturbed  and  blows  from  different  directions.  It  has  a  whirling 
motion  similar  to  the  motion  of  a  dust  whirl. 

The  whirling  air  which  sucks  up  the  column  of  dust  behaves 
exactly  like  one  of  our  winter  storms.  The  only  difference  is  that 
the  dust  whirl  is  small  and  carries  dust,  while  the  storm  carries 
rain  and  spreads  over  many  hundreds  of  miles. 

We  say  it  is  going  to  rain  when  the  "south  wind"  blows  because 
we  feel  the  wind  first  from  that  direction  as  a  storm  approaches. 

The  rainy  season  is  longer  and  the  storms  more  frecjuent  in 
the  north  than  in  the  south. 

Why  is  it  that  latitude  has  so  little  to  do  with  the  climate 
of  California? 

The  latitude  of  a  place  is  its  distance  north  or  south  of  the  equa- 
tor. The  farther  we  go  from  the  equator  the  cooler  the  climate 
ordinarily  becomes,  because  the  sun  does  not  rise  so  high  and  thus 
gives  less  heat  to  the  land. 

California  stretches  a  long  distance  from  north  to  south,  cov- 
ering many  degrees  of  latitude.  We  should  expect  for  this  reason 
that  the  northern  part  would  be  much  colder  than  the  southern, 
but  this  is  not  so.  Oranges  grow  as  well  in  the  northern  end  of 
the  Sacramento  Valley  as  they  do  at  San  Diego. 

This  is  because  the  winds  that  blow  across  the  Japan  Current 
and  onto  the  land  have  almost  the  same  temperature  the  whole 
length  of  the  state.  They  make  the  lands  of  the  south  cooler  and 
those  of  the  north   warmer  than   they  otherwise  would  be. 


One  of  the  highest  peaks  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas;    Mt.  Ritter,  from 
near  the  timber  line. 


California  35 

If  we  should  measure  along  the  Atlantic  Coast  southward  from 
New  York  a  distance  equal  to  the  length  of  California  we  should 
find  that,  while  in  New  York  it  is  very  cold  in  winter,  at  the  southern 
end  of  the  line  oranges  and  vegetables  are  growing  in  the  open  air. 

This  is  because  the  Eastern  States  do  not  have  the  tempering 
winds  from  the  sea  to  modify  the  natural  climate  which  latitude  gives. 

Why  do  we  give  the  name  "Great  Basin"  to  the  deserts  of 
Eastern  Cahfornia  and  Nevada? 

When  the  early  explorers  first  entered  the  desert  region  between 
the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Sierra  Nevadas  they  were  surprised  to 
find  the  lakes  with  no  outlets  and  the  water  filled  with  salt  and  soda. 

We  speak  of  a  river  basin  as  including  all  the  land  that  slopes 
toward  one  river,  but  such  is  not  a  true  basin,  for  the  water  flows 
out  at  one  side.  In  this  strange  desert  the  explorers  found  hundreds 
of  true  basins,  each  with  a  rim  of  high  land  all  around  it. 

General  Fremont  gave  the  name  "Great  Basin"  to  all  this  desert 
region,  because  he  found  it  to  be  a  true  basin  with  a  rim  of  higher 
land  extending  completely  around  it.  No  rain  that  fell  wuthin  the 
slopes  of  this  basin  could  ever  reach  the  ocean. 

If  it  should  rain  in  the  Great  Basin  as  much  as  it  does  along  the 
coast  of  California  the  little  basins  would  fill  up  and  form  lakes. 
The  higher  lakes  would  overflow  into  the  lower  ones  and  finally 
so  much  water  would  gather  in  the  latter  that  they  would  break 
over  the  outer  rim  of  land  and  send  rivers  away  to  the  sea. 

It  rains  enough  now  to  form  a  number  of  lakes,  such  as  Honey, 
Mono  and  Owens,  but  not  enough  to  make  them  overflow.  Because 
they  have  no  outlets  the  most  of  them  contain  so  much  salt,  soda  and 
other  minerals  that  no  fish  can  live  in  their  waters. 

Long  ago  it  rained  more  than  it  does  now  and  some  of  the 
lakes  overflowed  and  their  waters  became  fresh.  The  largest  of 
these  was  Great  Salt  Lake,  which  overflowed  into  the  Snake  River 
in  Idaho. 

What  can  we  learn  as  to  the  dangers  of  the  desert  from  the 
Death  Valley  expedition? 

In  1849  a  party  of  emigrants,  thinking  they  could  reach  Cali- 
fornia and  escape  crossing  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  sought  out 
a  new  way,  far  to  the  south  of  the  main  overland  trail.  They  turned 
south  of  Great  Salt  Lake  and  made  their  way  across  Southern  Ne- 
vada. They  knew  nothing  of  the  mountains  and  deserts  to  be  crossed 
or  where  they  could  obtain  water  and  forage  for  their  stock. 

At  last  they  reached  what  we  now  call  Death  Valley  in  a  fam- 
ishing condition.  The  most  of  their  cattle  had  died  and  they  could 
go  no  further  without  help.  They  thought  the  mighty  Panamint 
Range  which  rose  in  front  of  them  might  be  the  Sierra  Nevadas. 
If  so  they  would  soon  come  to  water  and  green  meadows,  while  the 
fertile  valleys  of  California  would  lie  just  beyond. 


36  New  Progressive  Geographies 

Men  went  ahead  to  explore,  but  found  that  two  rugged  moun- 
tain ranges  still  remained  to  be  crossed  before  reaching  the  longed- 
for  Sierras.  One  man  finally  reached  a  ranch  in  the  mountains  far 
to  the  southwest  in  the  direction  of  Los  Angeles  and  came  back 
with  help  to  rescue  those  remaining  alive. 

What  do  the  troubles  of  the  Donner  Party  tell  us  as  to  the 
climate  of  the  high  mountains? 

In  the  late  fall  of  1850  a  party  of  emigrants  reached  what  we 
now  know  as  Donner  Lake,  high  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  Mountains.  Their  farther  progress  was  blocked  by  cold 
and  snow  and  so  they  made  a  permanent  camp,  hoping  to  be  res- 
cued or  that  they  might  live  through  the  winter  until  spring.  Fifty 
miles  more  and  they  would  have  reached  the  sunny  valley  of  Cali- 
fornia where  snow  and  cold  were  unknown.  Their  food  gave  out 
and  before  rescuers  reached  them  many  had  perished. 

Thus  we  learn  that  on  the  high  mountains  of  California,  within 
a  few  miles  of  where  oranges  are  hanging  on  the  trees,  there  is  an 
almost  Arctic  climate. 

To  be  caught  unprepared  in  the  cold  and  snow  of  the  mountains 
is  almost  as  dangerous  as  to  attempt  to  cross  the  deserts  of  the 
Great  Basin  without  first  learning  where  the  springs  of  water  are. 

Although  the  mountains  formed  a  serious  barrier  to  the  early 
settlers,  yet  they  have  such  an  important  influence  upon 
the  climate  that  without  them  California  could  never  have 
become  a  rich  garden. 

1.  The  mountains  give  variety  to  the  climate  and  productions: 

We  have  already  learned  that  the  high  mountains  of  California  have 
a  cold  Arctic  climate,  while  the  valleys  at  their  base  are  almost 
tropical.  Part  way  up  the  slopes  the  climate  is  neither  hot  nor  cold 
and  is  the  most  healthful  and  delightful  in  all  the  world. 

In  ascending  the  mountains  we  pass  through  all  the  different 
kinds  of  climate  which  we  would  in  the  long  journey  from  Southern 
California  to  Alaska.  The  many  sorts  of  cHmate  enable  us  to  grow 
a  wonderful  variety  of  products. 

2.  Because  the  mountains  cut  off  the  cool  ocean  winds  the 
interior  valleys  are  very  warm:  On  the  coast  there  is  but  little 
difference  in  the  temperature  between  summer  and  winter.  The 
farther  we  go  from  the  ocean  and  the  more  mountains  we  cross 
the  hotter  the  valleys  become  in  summer  and  colder  in  winter.  This 
also  adds  to  the  variety  of  products  which  can  be  grown  in  Cali- 
fornia. Many  plants  do  not  thrive  near  the  coast,  while  they  do  well 
in  the  interior. 

3.  The  mountains  take  so  much  rain  from  the  clouds  that  the 
far  interior  valleys  are  deserts:  The  mountains  affect  the  rainfall 
as  well  as  the  temperature  of  the  air.  There  would,  perhaps,  be 
no  deserts  if  the  mountains  lay  parallel  with  the  direction  of  the 
winds  and  storms  instead  of  across  it. 


California 


37 


A  mountain  lake  of  glacial  origin  on  the  head  of  the  South  Fork 
of  the  Merced  River. 

The  deserts  are,  however,  not  waste  and  useless  land.  Where 
water  can  be  obtained  for  irrigation  they  produce  abundantly. 

4.  The  mountains  add  much  to  the  yearly  rainfall:  We  have 
doubtless  all  discovered  that  storms  are  heavier  on  the  mountains 
than  in  the  valleys.  The  cold  air  of  the  high  lands  changes  to  rain 
or  snow  water  particles  which,  if  it  were  not  for  the  mountains, 
would  float  on  easterly  and  give  little  or  no  rain. 

The  mountains,  then,  add  greatly  to  the  rain  or  snowfall  and 
this  in  turn  supplies  the  streams  whose  waters  are  so  much  needed 
for  irrigation  in  the  lower  valleys. 

5.  More  rain  falls  on  the  v^^estern  than  on  the  eastern  slopes 
of  the  mountains:  Since  the  storms  come  from  the  ocean  the  west- 
ern slopes  of  the  mountains  receive  the  most  rain.  This  is  a  for- 
tunate thing,  as  the  western  slopes  of  nearly  all  the  ranges  are  long 
and  gentle,  affording  much  more  land  suitable  for  farming  than  the 
eastern  slopes. 

6.  If  there  were  no  mountains  a  large  part  of  California  would 
be  an  uninhabitable  desert:  Just  how  important  our  mountains  are 
we  learn  most  clearly  from  a  study  of  Southern  and  Eastern  Cali- 
fornia. The  rain  and  snowfall  upon  the  higher  mountains  of  this 
region  is  very  heavy,  and  numerous  permanent  streams  fed  by  springs 
and  melting  snows  flow  down  their  slopes. 

The  rainfall  in  many  of  the  valleys  is  so  small  that  most  crops 
do  not  grow  well  without  irrigation.     If  it  were  not  for  the  moun- 


38  New  Progressive  Geographies 

tain  streams  we  would  find  in  place  of  the  hundreds  of  square 
miles  of  luxuriant  gardens  and  orchards  only  the  uncultivated  des- 
ert wastes. 

SUMMARY. 

The  journey  to  California  either  by  water  or  land,  was  long 
and  dangerous.  The  explorers  and  pioneers  endured  great  hard- 
ships in  opening  new  trails  through  a  vast  unknown  land  of  deserts 
and  mountains.  There  were  four  main  overland  trails  whose  routes 
were  determined  by  the  mountain  passes,  the  springs  and  forage 
for  stock. 

The  early  navigators  had  difficulty  in  exploring  the  California 
coast.  The  land  traveler  was  equally  hindered  by  the  fact  that  the 
mountains  came  close  to  the  ocean.  The  coast  has,  however,  not 
always  offered  the  present  obstacles.  The  land  has  been  moving 
up  and  down  and  was  once  so  much  higher  than  now  that  most  of 
the  present  islands,  which  rise  from  a  submerged  plateau,  formed 
a  part  of  the  mainland. 

The  two  main  routes  to  the  mines  were  the  Great  Salt  Lake 
trail,  used  by  those  who  crossed  the  continent,  and  the  Sacramento 
River,  used  by  those  who  came  by  water  and  landed  at  San  Fran- 
cisco. Nature  had  made  It  so  difficult  to  reach  the  mines  by  other 
routes  that  few  attempted  them. 

As  a  result  of  the  presence  of  many  lofty  mountains,  the  posi- 
tion and  direction  of  these  mountains,  and  the  fact  that  the  winds 
and  storms  generally  come  from  the  ocean,  California  has  a  more 
varied  climate  than  any  other  land  of  equal  size. 

The  climate  has  been  an  important  factor  in  the  development 
of  the  state.  The  long,  dry  summers  made  irrigation  necessary  in 
many  parts,  and  as  soon  as  its  advantages  were  understood  luxuri- 
ant gardens  spread  over  the  valleys  which  Nature  had  left  so  dry 
and  desert-like. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

Why   is   exploration   of   the   desert   particularly   dangerous? 
What  difficulties   are   met  with   in   exploring   in   the   mountains? 
Read  and  tell  the  story  of  General  Fremont's  journey  in  mid-winter 

across  the  Sierra  Nevadas. 
Why  do  trails  and  wagon  roads  use  mountain  passes? 
Describe  the  route  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake  trail. 
In  what  way  was  the  Santa  Fe  trail  more  difficult? 
Why   is   the   entrance   to    San    Francisco    Bay   difficult    to    discover 

from  the  ocean? 
Why  is  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  so  much  smoother  than  the  land? 
What  parts  of  California  would  be  flooded  if  the  land  should  sink 

one  thousand  feet? 
Using  the  relief  map,  make  a  sketch  of  the  California  coast  when 

the  land  stood  one  thousand  feet  higher  than  now. 
Describe  some  delta  that  you  have  seen. 


California  39 

Describe  a  journey  from   Los  Angeles  to   Bakersfield. 

Why  was  it  so  difficult  to  reach   California  from  Oregon? 

Tell  from  your  own  observations  if  the  rains  always  fall  when  the 

garden  needs  them. 
What  are  some  of  the  advantages  of  irrigation? 
Mention  some  of  the  diflferences  between  the   climate  of  California 

and  that  of  the  Eastern  States. 
Tell  what  you  can  about  the  climate  of  the  mountains  of  California. 
Describe  some  desert  that  you  have  seen  or  read  about. 
Tell  what  you  can  about  a  "cloudburst." 

How  do  people  manage  to  live  in  the  desert  where  there  is  no  water? 
Tell  how  the  sky  changes  as  a  storm  approaches. 
What  is  the  difference  betw^een  fog  and  clouds? 
What  time  of  the  year  is  there  the  most  fog  on  the  coast? 
Is  there  any  fog  in  the  interior  valleys,  and  when? 
In  what  general  direction   do  the   California   mountains   extend? 
How  would  the  climate  of  Death  Valley  change  if  there  were  no 

high  mountains  between  it  and  the  ocean? 
Where  are  the  highest  mountains  in  California? 
If  the  highest  mountains  were  near  the  coast,  what  would  be  the 

effect  on  the  climate  of  the  Great  Valley? 
If  the  winds  blew  from  the  land,  would  there  be  any  oranges  raised 

in   Northern  California? 
What  part  of  California  receives  the  most  rain?     What  the  least? 

Describe  the  vegetation  in  each  of  these  places. 
Describe  some  dust  whirl  that  you  have  seen. 
What  is  meant  by  the  "equator"?     And  point  out  on  a  globe  the 

position  of  California  with  reference  to  it. 
Describe  some  stream  basin  that  you  have  seen. 
How  does  the  Great  Basin  differ  from  a  stream  basin? 
What  becomes  of  the  water  that  is  flowing  into  lakes  without  outlet? 
In  what  part  of   California   do   oranges  grow   at   the   foot   of   snow- 
capped mountains? 
Mention    different   ways    in   which    mountains    affect   the    climate    of 

your  home. 
How  does  the  ocean  affect  the  climate  where  you  live? 

PRACTICAL  LESSONS. 

It   is   dangerous   to   depend  upon  a  map   which   is   not  correct. 

A  coast  with   few  bays  is   more   difficult   to   explore   than   one   with 

many  bays  and  islands. 
A  new  land  Is  more  easily  reached  if  there  are  waterways   leading 

to  it  than  if  the  journey  has  to  be  made  by  land. 
Deserts,    lofty    snow-covered    mountains    and    dense    forest    jungles 

form  the  greatest  obstacles  to  travel. 
The  shore  line  is  not  always  the  true  edge  of  a  continent. 
One  is  much  surer  of  raising  a  crop  if  he   depends  upon   irrigation 

than  if  he  depends  upon  irregular  rains. 


40 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


A  land  over  which  the  ocean  winds  blow  has  a  more  even  climate 

than  one  where  the  winds  blow  from  the  land  to  the  ocean. 
A  mountainous  land  has  a  much  more  varied  climate  than  a  level  land. 
True  basins  are  found  only  in  those  lands  where  little  rain  falls. 
Nearly  all  deserts  receive  some  rain  and  contain  plants  and  animals. 


Oak  forest  in  the  Coast  Ranges  south  of  San  Francisco, 
ground  at  Crystal  Springs. 


Camp 


CHAPTER  ITT. 

Topic  I. — The  NatiiraT  Resources  of  Onr 
California  Garden. 
Introduction. 

By  Natural  Resources  we  mean  the  soil,  the  minerals,  the  for- 
ests, the  water  and  the  animal  and  bird  life.  We  mean,  in  other 
words,  those  gifts  of  Nature  which  make  it  possible  for  the  people 
of  a  country  to  become  rich  and  prosperous. 

The  land  was  filled  with  wild  animals  and  birds. 

When  the  pioneers  came  they  found  California  filled  with  a 
great  variety  of  wild  animals  and  birds.  Now  the  larger  animals 
have  become  so  scarce  that  most  of  us  have  never  seen  them  in 
their  homes. 

The  grizzly  bears  have  gone  from  the  thickets  where  they  used 
to  be  so  abundant  and  no  wild  ones  are  known  to  exist  in  the  state 
today.  To  see  even  a  brown  bear  we  have  to  go  into  the  remoter 
parts  of  the  mountains. 

The  antelopes  no  longer  roam  the  valleys  w^here  the  early  set- 
tlers saw  them  in  countless  numbers.  At  the  present  time  only  one 
small  band   remains  in  western   Fresno  County. 

The  elk  were  once  abundant  over  much  of  the  state.  A  few 
still  roam  the  walder  parts  of  the  Northern  Coast  Ranges,  while  a 
partly  domesticated  band  has  been  protected  in  the  hills  west  of 
Bakersfield. 

In  the  Spanish  days  the  deer  were  very  thick  and  were  easier 
to  approach  than  the  range  cattle.  The  deer  are  still  found  in  the 
mountains,  but  their  numbers,  except  in  the  National  Parks,  where 
they  are  protected,  are  decreasing  year  by  year. 

There  are  many  predatory  animals,  such  as  the  mountain  lion, 
wildcat,  coyote,  fox,  coon,  etc.  The  mountain  lion  is  one  of  the 
worse  enemies  of  the  deer  and  young  stock  and  a  bounty  has  been 
placed  upon  its   head. 

The  coyote  kills  many  young  stock,  but  is  too  cunning  to  be 
exterminated.  Since  its  numbers  have  been  reduced,  the  jack  rab- 
bits and  ground  squirrels  have  become  numerous  and  very  destruc- 
tive to  crops. 

Wild  geese  and  ducks  once  stopped  in  California  in  such  count- 
less thousands  during  their  migrations  that  it  was  thought  hunters 
would  never  reduce  their  numbers.  Although  they  are  numerous 
still,  especially  in  the  Sacramento  Valley,  where  they  are  attracted 
by  the  rice  fields,  they  must  be  protected  or  they  will  eventually 
become  extinct. 

Most  of  the  game  birds,  song  birds  and  shore  birds  are  still  with 
us,  and  are  so  well  protected  by  law  that  we  shall  not  lose  them. 

A  few  thousand  years  ago  California  was  inhabited  by  many 
strange  animals  and  birds  diiTerent  from  any  living  here  now.     Some 


42  New  Progressive  Geographies 

of  the  animals  were  huge  and  fierce,  like  those  of  the  tropic  jun- 
gles in  distant  parts  of  the  world. 

We  should  never  have  known  much  about  these  if  it  had  not 
been  for  a  group  of  tar  springs  near  Los  Angeles.  The  animals  used 
to  come  to  these  springs  long  ago  to  taste  the  salty  and  alkaline 
water.  Many  of  them  fell  into  the  sticky  tar  and  died.  The  tar 
preserved  the  bones  and  now  thousands  of  skeletons  have  been  dug 
out,  many  of  them  in  an  almost  perfect  condition. 

Among  the  animals  that  have  been  found  are  the  elephant, 
mastodon,  camel,  llama,  tapir,  buffalo,  lion,  tiger,  and  rhinoceros, 
besides  many  smaller  ones,  and  some  birds. 

Our  forests  are  uneqiialed  in  all  the  world. 

Every  one  has  seen  or  read  about  the  "Big  Trees"  of  the 
Sierras  and  the  redwoods  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  But  these  are  only 
two  of  the  many  kinds  of  cone-bearing  trees  forming  the  magnifi- 
cent forests  of  California.  Among  our  important  trees  are  the  sugar 
pine,  yellow  pine,  spruce,  fir,  and  cedar.  Forests  cover  all  the  moun- 
tain slopes  except  the  higher  ones,  where  it  is  too  cold,  and  the 
lower  ones,  where  it  is  too  dry. 

There  are  two  main  arms  of  the  forest  belt.  One  covers  the 
Sierra  Nevadas,  the  other  the  Coast  Ranges  north  of  Santa  Cruz. 
The  two  arms  unite  in  Shasta  County  and  extend  through  Oregon 
and  Washington  into  the  fax  north. 

The  lower  mountains  and  valleys,  where  there  is  rain  enough, 
are  covered  with  a  scattered  growth  of  beautiful  oaks  of  different 
kinds.     The  oaks  give  the  valleys  a  park-like  appearance. 

The  wild  flowers  are  remarkable  for  their  variety  and  brilliancy. 
The  unplowed  valleys  are  covered  in  spring  with  flowers  of  many 
colors.  Most  prominent  among  these  is  the  orange  poppy,  the 
state  flower. 

Why  is  it  that  California  has  such  a  variety  of  plant  and 
animal  life? 

1.  California  lies  between  very  warm  and  very  cold  lands:  We 
have  learned  that  Northwestern  California  has  a  very  heavy  rain- 
fall and  a  dense  vegetation,  and  that  the  southeastern  part  is  a 
desert,  because  it  has  so  little  rain.  We  have  also  learned  that  the 
coast  climate  is  mild,  both  w'inter  and  summer;  that  the  interior 
valleys  are  hot  in  the  summer,  and  that  the  higher  we  go  on  the 
mountains  the  colder  it  becomes. 

The  greater  part  of  California  has  the  climate  of  the  warm  tem- 
perate belt.  By  this  we  mean  that  it  is  neither  too  hot  nor  too  cold, 
but  that  the  temperature  and  rainfall  are  suited  to  the  most  com- 
fortable, healthful  life  and  the  growing  of  the  greatest  variety  of 
products. 

2.  California  stretches  for  many  hundred  miles  along  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean:  The  length  of  California  is  about  three  times  its  width, 
and  it  stretches  from  northwest  to  southeast  through  ten  degrees 


California 


43 


of  latitude.  Because  it  is  so  long  from  north  to  south  we  should 
expect  the  climate  of  the  north  to  be  much  colder  than  that  of  the 
south,  but  in  reality  there  is  little  difference. 

3.  The  prevailing  winds  blow  from  off  the  ocean:  The  mild 
climate  of  California  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  prevailing  winds 
blow  off  the  ocean.  The  ocean  changes  very  little  in  temperature 
throughout  the  year,  and  therefore  the  w^inds  which  blow  from  it 
have  a  mild  and  uniform  temperature.  The  cool  Japan  Current 
which  flow^s  southerly  along  the  coast  warms  very  slowly,  so  that 
the  average  temperature  at  San  Diego  is  only  little  above  that  at 
Eureka. 

Because  California  lies  lengthwise  to  the  ocean,  a  larger  part 
is  affected  by  the  ocean  winds  than  if  it  were  narrow  on  the  sea 
and  long  from  east  to  west.  The  many  mountain  barriers,  however, 
which  the  winds  encounter  make  their  influence  felt  a  much  less  dis- 
tance inland  than  it  otherwise  would  be. 

If  the  winds  blew  from  the  land  toward  the  ocean,  as  the  pre- 
vailing winds  do  in  the  Eastern  States,  we  should  have  a  climate 
hot  in  summer  and  cold  in  winter.  We  should  have  a  continental 
climate  instead  of  a  sea-coast  climate. 

4.  California  has  a  varied  surface:  There  are  valleys  like  the 
Sacramento  -  San  Joaquin,  so  large  that  we  might  truly  call  them 
plains,  where  an  abundance  of  w^ater  produces  a  luxuriant  vegeta- 
tion. There  are  desert  plains  which  for  lack  of  water  must  always 
remain  barren. 

There  are  gentle  hill  slopes,  inclosing  thousands  of  beautiful  val- 


A  party  of  teachers  on  the  summit  of  Mt.  Whitney,  the  highest  land  in 
the  United  States  outside  of  Alaska. 


44  New  Progressive  Geographies 

leys  blest  with  everything  that  Nature  has  to  offer.  There  are 
coastal  plains  and  mesas  with  a  character  of  their  own. 

There  are  steep  hills  and  mountain  slopes,  the  home. of  our 
magnificent  forests.  There  are  mountain  valleys,  plateaus  and  table 
lands  suited  either  for  pastures  or  farms.  There  are  high  mountain 
valleys  where  it  is  so  cold  that  only  grasses  will  grow. 

Over  all,  bare  rocks  and  picturesque  crags  rise  thousands  of 
feet  in  a  clear,  cold,  arctic  region  with  an  arctic  climate. 

5.  California  has  the  highest  land  in  the  United  States  outside 
of  Alaska:  Mount  Whitney,  the  highest  peak  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains,  rises  14,502  feet  above  the  sea.  There  are  many  other 
peaks  almost  as  lofty.  At  this  great  height  only  a  few  stunted  arc- 
tic plants  are  found. 

6.  California  has  the  lowest  land  in  the  United  States:  From 
the  top  of  Mount  A\'hitney,  the  highest  land,  we  can  almost  look 
into  Death  Valley,  the  lowest  and  hottest  land  in  our  country.  This 
valley  is  276  feet  below  the  level  of  the  sea.  Only  one  other  desert 
in  the  world  is  lower  and  that  is  the  Valley  of  the  Dead  Sea  in 
Palestine. 

Far  to  the  south  of  Death  Valley  lies  the  Colorado  Desert,  the 
lowest  part  of  which  is  known  as  the  Salton  Sink,  260  feet  below 
the  sea  level.  This  sink,  which  was  once  occupied  by  a  salt  marsh, 
has  been  flooded  by  an  overflow  from  the  Colorado  River  and  is 
now  a  large  lake. 

The  heat  of  these  deserts  which  lie  below  the  level  of  the  sea 
is  almost  unbearable  in  the  summer  and  many  people  have  perished 
attempting  to  cross  them  at  that  season. 

7.  California  has  many  kinds  of  rich  soil:  The  soil  comes  in 
the  first  place  from  the  crumbling  of  the  rocks.  There  are  so  many 
kinds  of  rocks  in  our  state  that  we  should  expect  to  find  many  kinds 
of  soil.  Among  these  we  may  mention  red  volcanic  soil,  sandy  gran- 
ite soil,  sandy  loam  and  heavy  clay  or  adobe  soil. 

There  is  the  soil  formed  directly  from  the  crumbling  rocks  on 
the  hill  and  mountain  sides.  There  is  the  soil  in  the  valleys  which 
has  been  washed  from  the  steeper  slopes  and  is  deeper  and  richer. 
There  is  the  soil  of  the  deltas  of  inexhaustible  fertility.  There  is 
the  soil  formed  on  what  was  once  the  bed  of  the  ocean  or  of  dried 
up  lakes  which   often  contains   much   salt,   soda  and   other  alkalies. 

How  has  the  distribution  of  the  rainfall  and  vegetation  influ- 
enced the  settlement  of  California? 

The  early  Spanish  ranchers  came  from  Mexico,  where  they  were 
dependent  upon  irrigation  to  raise  their  crops.  That  country  has 
few  trees  and  they  lived  in  homes  made  of  "adobe"  bricks  or  stone. 

These  people  felt  at  home  in  the  drier  valleys  of  California,  not 
minding  the  absence  of  trees  if  there  were  only  water  for  irrigation. 

The  emigrants  from  the  East  were  accustomed  to  summer  rains 
and  to  homes  built  of  logs  or  lumber.  They  distrusted  the  treeless 
parts  of  California  and  settled  for  the  most  part  in  the  northern  val- 
leys where  there  was  more  rain  and  timber.     It  was  not  necessary 


California 


45 


for  them,  however,  to  clear  the  forests,  as  their  ancestors  liad  done 
in  the  East,  for  there  was  an  abundance  of  open  land. 

How  the  distribution  of  vegetation  affected  the  industries. 

The  hilly  and  mountainous  part  of  the  state  outside  the  main 
forest  belt  was  found  to  offer  the  best  pasturage  for  cattle.  For 
many  years  the  Coast  Range  region  was  one  vast  cattle  range,  for 
it  is  well  supplied  with  wild  grasses  and  other  forage  plants. 

Sheep  were  ranged  in  great  bands  all  over  the  state  from  the 
forest  regions  to  the   deserts  and   from  the  valleys  to  the   summits 

of  the  mountains. 
After  a  time  it  was 
found  that  the  sheep 
were  doing  great  in- 
jury to  the  young 
trees  and  destroying 
the  protecting  cover 
of  the  soil  so  that 
it  began  to  wash. 
Now  their  ranges 
are  much  restricted. 

Dairying  first  be- 
came important  in 
the  cool,  moist  val- 
leys of  the  Coast 
Region  where  the 
grasses  remain  green 
longest.  The  moun- 
tain valleys  were 
also  valued  by  the 
dairymen,  for  there 
the  meadows  were 
green  all  summer 
and  the  cool  air  is 
favorable  to  butter 
making. 

There  are  now 
many  dairies  in  the 
warm,  dry  valleys 
where  alfalfa  is  kept 
green  by  irrigation 
and  the  air  of  the 
dairy-houses  is 
cooled  with  ice. 

The  grain  farm- 
er sought  the  great 
open    valleys    where 
A  forest  of  white  fir  on  the  slope  of  Mt.  Shasta.  lie    did   not   have   to 


46  New  Progressive  Geographies 

do  any  clearing  of  the  land  and  he  could  plow  furrows  miles  in 
length. 

The  first  saw-mills  were  built  in  the  Coast  Ranges  where  boats 
could  carry  the  lumber  to  San  Francisco,  and  in  the  Sierras  at 
points  near  the  mines.  For  a  long  time  there  were  few  roads  and 
the  mountain  streams  were  generally  too  rocky  and  swift  to  float  the 
logs  down  to  the  valleys,  and  so  it  was  only  the  easily  accessible 
timber  that  was  cut. 

Saw-mills  have  now  been  built  far  back  in  the  mountains.  Rail- 
roads bring  the  logs  to  the  mills,  and  flumes  float  the  lumber  down 
to  shipping  points  in  the  valleys. 

Has  mining  or  farming  helped  most  to  build  up  California 
as  a  land  of  pleasant  homes  and  gardens? 

Most  of  the  pioneers  came  expecting  to  get  rich  quickly  and 
then  go  back  to  their  old  homes  in  the  East.  Having  no  idea  of 
staying  in  this  far-away  land  they  put  up  cheap  and  temporary 
habitations. 

The  mining  settlements  changed  from  month  to  month.  As  soon 
as  the  placers  in  the  vicinity  of  any  town  were  worked  out,  most 
of  the  people  moved  away  to  other  places. 

Many  of  the  old-time  mining  towns  have  completely  disap- 
peared. We  find  everywhere  tumbled-down  houses  and  stone  chim- 
neys standing  alone.  The  population  of  the  foothill  counties  of  the 
gold  belt,  although  now  increasing,  is  still  much  less  than  it  was 
during  the  mining  excitement  fifty  years  ago. 

In  the  search  for  gold  the  value  of  the  soil  was  not  thought  of. 
Thousands  of  acres  of  rich  bottom  land  along  the  streams  were 
turned  upside  down  and  left  a  mass  of  barren  boulders. 

Finally  the  importance  of  mining  became  less  and  that  of  agri- 
culture increased.  The  wonderful  richness  of  the  soil  and  the  health- 
ful and  agreeable  climate  led  more  and  more  of  the  new-comers  to 
take  up  farming  and  make  their  homes  in  the  new  land. 

The  miner  and  lumberman  go  to  a  new  country  with  a  different 
purpose  from  that  of  the  farmer.  They  expect  to  remain  only  so 
long  as  there  are  minerals  in  the  ground  or  trees  to  be  cut.  The 
farmer  builds  a  permanent  home  and  surrounds  himself  with  as 
many  comforts  as  he  can,  for  he  expects  to  remain.  The  farmer 
tries  to  improve  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  instead  of  robbing  it  of  its 
plant  food,  for  his  living  depends  upon  it. 

Although  mining  has  been,  and  still  is,  the  source  of  much  of 
our  wealth,  yet  it  is  not  such  a  lasting  industry  as  farming.  It  does 
not  leave  the  country  permanently  richer  as  farming  does. 

What  are  the  most  important  minerals  found  in  California? 

For  many  years  California  was  known  only  as  the  "Land  of 
Gold."  Finally  many  other  valuable  minerals  were  discovered  and 
now  the  production  of  petroleum  is  so  great  that  we  might  truly 
call  it  the  Land  of  Oil. 


California 


47 


There  are  several  methods  by  which  gold  is  obtained.  The  first 
used  is  the  simplest.  It  required  only  a  pick  and  shovel,  a  few 
pieces  of  board,  some  nails  and  quicksilver.  This  method  is  called 
"placer  mining." 

Most  of  the  gold  was  found  on  the  "bedrock,"  at  the  bottom  of 
the  stream  beds.  To  get  it  the  top  gravel  was  shoveled  off  and  that 
at  the  bottom  put  through  a  rocker  or  sluice  and  the  gold  which  it 
contained  was  collected  by  the  aid  of  quicksilver. 

After  a  time  gold  was  found  at  the  bottom  of  very  thick  beds 
of  gravel  which  formed  the  channels  of  streams  that  flowed  long 
ago.  This  gold  was  too  deep  to  be  reached  with  pick  and  shovel 
and  so  the  miners  made  use  of  water.  They  brought  it  in  pipes 
under  great  pressure  and  turned  it  against  the  banks  of  gravel.  The 
stream  was  larger  and  more  powerful  than  that  from  a  fire  engine 
and  rapidly  washed  away  the  gravel  so  that  the  gold  could  be  ob- 
tained.    This  process  is  called  hydraulic  mining. 

Last  of  all  came  quartz  mining,  by  means  of  which  most  of  the 
o-old  is  now  gotten  from  the  earth.  The  miners  traced  the  gold 
found  in  the  placers  back  to  its  original  home  in  veins  of  quartz  ex- 
tending through  the  rocks.  To  reach  this  gold  shafts  have  to  be 
sunk  or  tunnels  run  into  the  hillsides.  Some  of  them  extend  nearly 
a  mile  into  the  earth. 

When  gold  became  more  difficult  to  find,  other  minerals  were 
sought  for.  Through  nearly  all  the  mountains  of  Eastern  California 
veins  of  silver  and  lead  weVe  discovered.  Great  beds  of  copper  ore 
were  found  in  many  places,  particularly  in  Shasta  County.  Here 
also  are  beds  of  iron.     In  the  Coast  Ranges  valuable  quicksilver  de- 


In  the  Kern  River  oil  fields. 


48  New  Progressive  Geographies 

posits  have  been  worked  for  many  years.     Valuable  deposits  of  salt, 
soda  and  borax  occupy  the  beds  of  the  dried-up  lakes  in  the  deserts. 

How  is  it  that  California  has  so  Httle  coal,  but  such  valuable 
deposits  of  petroleum? 

The  story  of  coal  is  not  at  all  like  that  of  petroleum.  Where 
we  find  beds  of  coal  there  were  once  marshes  and  swamps  in  which 
vegetation  grew  rankly.  The  decaying  leaves  and  stems  collected 
in  thick  layers,  which  after  a  time  were  deeply  buried  in  the  earth 
and  there  changed  to  coal.  California  has  but  little  coal  and  that 
not  of  the  best  quality. 

Petroleum  comes  from  bodies  of  minute  sea  animals  and  plants 
which  collected  on  the  bottom  of  the  ancient  ocean  once  covering 
Western  California.  When  after  a  long  time  the  beds  containing 
these  bodies  had  been  turned  to  rock,  they  were  lifted  above  the 
ocean  to  form  dry  land.- 

Then,  when  prospectors  found  springs  of  gas  and  oil  issuing 
from  these  rocks,  they  drilled  deep  holes  in  the  earth  nearby  and 
struck  the  deposits  of  these  valuable  substances  buried  far  beneath 
the  surface. 

Petroleum,  or  oil,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  is  obtained  at  many 
points  in  the  Coast  Ranges,  along  the  borders  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley,  and  in  Southern  California.  It  now  forms  the  most  impor- 
tant mineral  product  of  the  state.  Single  wells  have  produced  as 
much  as  fifty  thousand  barrels  of  oil  in  a  day. 

What  efifect  did  the  discovery  of  oil  have  on  manufacturing? 

The  growth  of  manufacturing  in  California  has  been  slow.  One 
of  the  chief  reasons  for  this  is  the  lack  of  cheap  coal  of  good  quality. 
Most  of  the  coal  used  had  to  be  brought  a  long  distance  either  by 
ship  or  railroad.  This  made  the  price  so  high  that  it  was  difficult 
to  carry  on  many  kinds  of  manufacturing  and  compete  with  the 
Eastern  States,  where  coal  and  labor  w^ere  cheaper. 

The  discovery  of  vast  deposits  of  oil  suitable  for  fuel  has  made 
a  great  change.  Oil  has  replaced  coal  in  engines  of  all  kinds  be- 
cause it  is  cheap  and  can  be  used  for  nearly  every  purpose  where 
coal  is   used. 

Topic  II. — The  Natural  Resources  of  Our  California  Garden 

Are  Very  Rich,  But  They  \\'ill  Not  Last  Unless 

We  Take  Care  of  Them. 

Introduction. 

California  is  becoming  one  of  the  most  important  states  in  the 
Union  because  of  its  great  area  and  the  richness  and  variety  of  its 
resources.  We  must,  however,  learn  to  use  these  gifts  more  wisely 
than  we  have  been  doing.  We  have  cut  and  burned  the  forests; 
we  have  overstocked  the  slopes,  causing  the  soil  to  wash  away,  and 
w^e  have  almost  exterminated  some  of  the  useful  animals  and  birds. 
We  have  done  these  things  not  thinking  of  what  the  results  will  be. 


California  49 

We  shall  have  to  learn  to  do  differently  or  Xature  will  punish  us, 
as  she  has  punished  people  of  other  parts  of  the  world  who  have 
wasted   their  resources. 

What  do  we  mean  by  Conservation,  and  why  is  it  of  special 
importance  to  Cahfornia? 

By  Conservation  we  mean  the  careful  use  of  our  natural  re- 
sources so  that  they  will  remain  as  rich  and  abundant  for  our  chil- 
dren as  they  are  for  us. 

Conservation  is  especiall}-  important  in  California  because  of  the 
long  rainless  summers,  which  make  it  necessary  to  save  the  water, 
to  guard  against  forest  fires  and  protect  the  surface  from  being 
washed  by   the   rains. 

The  need  of  water  in  the  summer. 

We  know  that  when  it  rains  the  water  runs  away  quickly  from 
bare,  rocky  slopes  and  almost  as  quickly  from  hard,  bare  ground. 
Where  there  is  soft  earth  covering  the  rocks  a  part  of  the  rain- 
water sinks  in  and  less  runs  away.  If  the  surface  is  covered  with 
a  growth  of  bushes  and  trees  a  still  smaller  amount  of  water  runs 
away,  for  the  decaying  leaves  and  branches  form  a  carpet  over  the 
surface  like  a  sponge.  This  decaying  vegetation  we  call  humus. 
The  water  which  the  humus  holds  finally  sinks  down  into  the  crev- 
ices in  the  rocks  and  feeds  the  springs. 

The  high  mountains  are  the  homes  of  the  heaviest  storms.  The 
amount  of  rain  or  snow  that  falls  upon  them  is  much  greater  than 
that  which  falls  in  the  valleys. 

If  we  would  have  water  for  summer  use  we  must  leave  these 
mountain  slopes  undisturbed.  We  must  see  that  the  forests  are  not 
cut  away.  We  must  see  that  the  meadows  are  not  destroyed  by  cattle 
and  sheep.  We  must  take  care  in  plowing  and  cultivating  the  soil 
that  we  leave  it  in  such  shape  that  it  does  not  wash  during  the  win- 
ter storms,  or  our  country  will  become  dry  and  barren. 

What  is  the  result  of  the  careless  treatment  of  the  surface 
of  our  California  Garden? 

1.  The  rains  wash  the  soil  from  pastures  where  there  are  too 
many  cattle:  In  our  walks  over  the  hills  we  have  seen  here  and 
there  how  the  rain-water  is  cutting  deep  gullies  in  the  soil.  Some 
of  the  gullies  start  in  old  roads  and  trails.  Alany  others  appear  in 
the  pasture  lands  where  there  are  so  many  cattle  that  the  grass  is 
eaten  into  the  ground  and  the  surface  tramped  hard.  The  destruc- 
tion of  the  grass  permits  the  water  to  get  at  the  soil  and  it  soon 
begins  to  cut  channels  which  grow  larger  with  every  rain.  The 
muddy  torrents  which  we  see  during  a  heavy  storm  tell  us  that  the 
soil  is  being  carried  away. 

2.  Careless  farming  of  the  hillsides  causes  loss  of  the  soil: 
When  we  clear  the  trees  and  bushes  away  and  plow  the  hillsides 
\\t  must  use  care  to  keep  the  soil  from  washing.     We  should  either 


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New  pRodKESsivE  Geographies 


keep  the  surface  loose  so  that  the  water  will  soak  in  or  grow  some 
crop  upon  it  which  will  prevent  the  water  from  carrying  away  the 
soil. 

It  would  be  better  if  we  left  the  steeper  hillsides  covered  with 
the  protecting  plants  which  Nature  placed  there. 

3.  The  earth  washed  from  the  slopes  fills  up  the  streams  and 
bays:  When  too  much  sand  and  mud  are  washed  into  the  streams 
they  cannot  carry  it  all  away  and  their  channels  begin  to  fill  up; 
we  can  learn  this  from  any  Httle  torrent  formed  during  a  rain.  When 
the  channels  become  filled  the  waters  overflow  their  banks  and  wash 
mud  and  sand  onto  the  adjoining  fields. 

Navigation  of  the  Sacramento  River  is  more  difficult  than  it 
used  to  be  because  of  the  earth  washed  into  it  from  the  hydraulic 
mines. 

Many  little  arms  of  San  Francisco  Bay  are  slowly  being  filled 
by  the  mud  brought  down  by  the  streams  that  enter  them. 

Some  of  the  small  bays  along  the  coast  have  been  nearly  filled 
in  this  manner  since  the  state  was  settled.  Morro  Bay  is  a  good 
example. 

What  is  the  final  result  of  wasting  the  soil? 

The  loss  of  soil  finally  changes  a  fruitful  land  into  one  which 
is  barren  and  desert-like.  When  the  vegetation  which  once  clothed 
the  surface  has  been  destroyed,  the  soil  is  left  unprotected.  The 
water  gathers  in  rivulets  and  runs  away  quickly,  tearing  out  gullies. 
The  ground  dries  and  the  springs  become  smaller. 

We  can  see  all  over  California  how  water  has  been  at  work 
upon  the  soil.     Our  careless  plowing,  thoughtless  waste  of  the  for- 


Scene  in  the  San  Mateo  hills  south  of  San  Francisco  showing  how  the  rain 
washes  the  soil  when  cattle  kill  the  grass  covering. 


California  51 

ests  and  over-stocking  of  the  ranges  has  not  only  injured  the  soil 
upon  which  the  most  of  us  depend  for  a  living,  but  has  in  some 
places  decreased  the  summer  water  supply. 

Where  are  our  forests  mostly  found? 

Our  forests  are  found  wherever  there  is  an  abundant  rain  or 
snow-fall  and  the  climate  is  not  too  cold.  If  we  study  the  rainfall 
map  of  California  and  trace  the  boundaries  of  that  color  which  marks 
thirty  inches  or  more  rain  we  shall  obtain  a  pretty  good  idea  of 
where  our  forests  lie. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  state  the  lowlands  receive  thirty 
inches  or  more  rain  and  are  covered  with  forest  trees.  As  we  go 
south  the  rainfall  in  the  valleys  becomes  less  and  we  have  to  ascend 
the  mountains  to  find  a  region  where  it  rains  enough  to  grow  forests. 

In  Shasta  County  the  yellow  pine,  one  of  the  most  important 
of  the  lumber  trees,  grows  as  low  as  1000  feet  above  the  sea.  When 
we  have  gone  as  far  south  as  San  Bernardino  County  we  find  that 
we  have  to  climb  up  to  an  elevation  of  5000  feet  to  reach  the  yel- 
low pine  forests. 

The  distribution  of  our  forests  is,  therefore,  determined  by  the 
rainfall.  The  rainfall  is  so  small  in  the  valleys  of  the  southern  half 
of  the  state  that  there  would  be  no  forests  in  this  region  if  it  were 
not  for  the  lofty  mountains. 

The  value  of  our  forests  as  sources  of  lumber  and  fuel. 

The  forests  of  California  are  among  its  most  important  re- 
sources. If  we  use  these  forests  with  care  we  shall  have  not  only 
enough  for  ourselves  and  our  children,  but  to  sell  to  the  people  of 
other  countries. 

The  waste  in  our  forests  from  fire  and  careless  cutting  amounts 
to  a  very  large  sum  every  year.  \\'e  waste  more  than  we  use.  If 
we  could  only  see  how  people  in  many  other  parts  of  the  world 
sufifer  from  the  lack  of  both  fuel  and  material  for  building  their 
homes,  we  would  appreciate  more  the  wealth  which  we  have  in  our 
forests. 

How  our  forests  protect  the  soil  and  aid  in  holding  back  the 
rainwater  for  summer  use. 

1.  Roots  hold  the  soil  so  that  it  does  not  easily  wash  away: 
If  you  will  examine  any  bank  by  the  side  of  a  road  or  along  a  stream 
you  will  find  that  the  roots  of  the  trees  and  smaller  plants  form  a 
perfect  network  for  perhaps  two  feet  downward  from  the  surface. 
In  some  places  you  will  see  that  the  earth  beneath  the  root  layer 
has  crumbled  and  fallen  away,  leaving  the  top  overhanging.  This 
shows  how  strongly  the  roots  protect  the  surface.  In  places  where 
there  is  no  vegetation  at  the  top  of  the  bank  you  will  notice  that 
it  is  no  longer  steep,  for  the  top  has  washed  away. 

2.  The  leaf  mold  and  humus  aid  in  holding  the  water:  If  dur- 
ing a  rain  you  will  walk  out  into  the  open  fields  and  then  into  the 
woods,  you  will  see  that  there  is  much  less  water  running  down  the 


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New  Progressive  Geographies 


slopes  ill  the  woods  than  there  is  in  the  open  fields.  The  water  that 
does  run  away  from  the  wooded  slopes  is  clear,  while  that  which 
runs  off  of  the  cultivated  lands  is  muddy.  The  layer  of  decaying 
wood  and  leaves  lying  under  the  trees  takes  up  the  water  like  a 
sponge. 

3.  Where  there  are  forests  the  flow  of  the  springs  is  larger  and 
more  even:  If  we  will  go  into  the  hills  we  shall  see  that  the  streams 
start  in  little  springs  at  the  head  of  small  ravines.  These  springs 
are  fed  by  the  water  which  seeps  down  through  the  crevices  in  the 
rocks  from  the  layer  of  humus  and  soft  earth  spread  over  the  surface. 

Where  there  is  little  rain,  as  in  the  desert,  there  is  only  a  small 
amount  of  humus  and  soil  over  the  rocks.  When  the  rain  comes  the 
water  runs  quickly  off  and  gathers  in  torrents  in  the  cafions.  There 
are  few  springs  in  the  mountains  of  the  desert  partly  because  there 
is  so  little  covering  over  the  rocks. 

4.  If  the  mountain  slopes  are  left  as  Nature  made  them,  the 
danger  of  floods  is  less  and  the  flow  of  the  streams  is  more  even: 
We  suffer  from  floods  in  the  winter  and  early  spring  in  nearly  all 
parts  of  the  state.  These  floods  have  their  start  in  the  mountains 
where  the  slopes  are  steep  and  the  storms  heavy.  Anything  which 
disturbs  the  surface  so  that  the  water  will  run  away  more  quickly 
will  make  the  floods  worse  and  leave  less  water  for  summer  use. 
The  more  perfect  the  sponge-like  covering  which  the  forest  helps 
to  form,  the  less  danger  there  is  of  sudden  flood. 

We  should,  then,  use  every  care  in  the  management  of  our  moun- 
tains.    We  should  take  care  of  the  forests  that  we  may  always  have 


What  the  water  has  done  to  the  soil  in  Southern  CaHfornia  where  the 
protecting  bushes  have  been  killed. 


California  53 

lumber  and  fuel.  We  should  see  that  the  layer  of  humus,  or  leaf 
mold,  is  not  destroyed  through  the  stripping  off  of  the  forests  or 
pasturing  the  slopes  too  closely.  The  time  may  come  when,  if  we 
are  careless,  as  people  have  been  in  other  countries,  our  California 
garden  will  be  poor  and  barren. 

What  has  happened  in  other  countries  where  the  forests  have 
been  destroyed? 

We  will  take  an  imaginary  journey  to  some  far-away  countries 
on  the  other  side  of  the  world  and  see  how  poor  the  people  are  in 
many  places.  We  will  visit  Spain,  Italy,  Palestine  and  China.  The 
people  in  these  lands  have  been  cutting  down  their  trees  for  thou- 
sands of  years  regardless  of  the  troubles  which  they  were  bringing 
upon  themselves.  Their  forests  are  nearly  gone  and  the  best  of  the 
soil  has  been  washed  from  the  slopes,  which  are  gullied  and  torn ; 
and  the  valley  lands  have  been  injured  by  the  mud,  sand  and  boul- 
ders which  the  floods  have  left  upon  them. 

Fuel  is  so  high  in  price  and  so  scarce  that  it  cannot  be  used 
to  keep  the  homes  warm  in  winter,  but  only  for  the  needs  of  cook- 
ing. Women  and  children  have  to  wander  miles  gathering  twigs 
and  small  brush  which  they  bring  home  on  their  backs. 

The  vakte  of  our  mountain  forests  as  parks  for  summer  rec- 
reation. 

No  other  part  of  the  world  has  a  finer  climate  than  the  moun- 
tains of  California.  There  are  many  months  of  beautiful  weather. 
The  air  is  warm,  but  not  too  w^arm.  There  is  an  abundance  of  pure 
water  and  magnificent  scenery.  In  the  shady  forests  of  these  re- 
gions are  the  most  delightful  summer  camp  grounds. 

The  map  shoW'S  what  a  large  area  in  California  our  Government 
has  included  in  the  National  Forests  and  reserved  from  sale.  These 
are  free  for  us  to  camp  in  if  we  are  careful  about  fire. 

There  are  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  in  addition  to  the 
National  Forests,  the  Yosemite,  Sequoia  and  General  Grant  National 
Parks  where  no  trees  can  be  cut  nor  wild  game  killed. 

In  the  Coast  Ranges  we  have  Sempervirens  Park  and  Muir 
Woods,  and  other  beautiful  camp  grounds  where  the  primeval  for- 
ests will  be  left  as  Nature  made  them. 

If  it  were  not  for  the  forests  our  mountains  would  be  without 
much  of  their  present  attractiveness  and  w^e  would  not  care  to  spend 
our  vacations   in  them. 

We  may  say,  then,  that  for  the  encouragement  of  healthful  out- 
door life,  if  for  nothing  else,  large  areas  of  our  forests  should  be  left 
in  their  wild  beauty.  To  the  many  thousands  of  people  who  go  into 
the  mountains  in  the  summer,  the  forests  are  of  far  more  value  than 
if  they  were  cut  down  and  made  into  lumber. 

The  vahie  of  the  trees  as  homes  for  the  birds. 

Many  kinds  of  birds  use  the  trees  for  nesting  places.  If  most 
of  the  trees  were  cut  down  the  birds  would  leave  us.     Although  a 


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New  Progressive  Geographies 


few  birds  are  destructive,  almost  all  of  them  do  far  more  good  than 
harm.  They  eat  large  numbers  of  insects  which  injure  our  fruit 
trees  and  gardens.  Besides  this,  the  birds  make  beautiful  music 
which  we  should  miss  sadly  if  they  were  gone. 

The  wild  life  of  our  State. 

1.  Shall  we  permit  the  wild  animals  to  be  exterminated?    There 

are  many  wild  animals,  such  as  the  deer,  antelope,  elk  and  mountain 
sheep,  which  do  no  harm,  while  they  add  much  to  the  pleasure  of 
out-door  life.  Laws  have  been  passed  to  protect  these  animals  and 
we  should  see  that  they  are  strictly  enforced. 

The  numbers  of  the  predatory  animals,  among  which  are  the 
California  lion  or  cougar,  the  coyote,  wildcat,  besides  other  smaller 
ones,  can  be  easily  kept  down  by  hunting,  so  they  can  do  little  harm. 

In  order  to  prevent  the  extinction  of  wild  life  still  remaining, 
the  National  Parks  have  been  made  game  preserves.  No  guns  are 
allowed  in  them  and  the  animals  live  their  natural  lives  without 
fear  from  men. 

The  wild  life  has  been  further  protected  by  the  establishing  of 
closed  seasons.  Deer,  for  example,  can  be  hunted  only  two  months 
in  the  year,  and  the  number  that  can  be  killed  by  one  person  is  lim- 
ited to  two  bucks. 

The  fish  of  the  streams,  lakes  and  ocean  are  an  important  source 
of  food,  but  because  of  the  selfish  and  destructive  methods  employed 
by  many  fishermen  laws  have  been  made  governing  the  time  and 
manner  in  which  fish  may  be  taken. 


The  effect  of  fires  on  the  forests  at  the  head  of  Tejunga  River,  San 
Gabriel  Mountains,  Southern  California. 


California  55 

The  great  value  of  bird  life. 

Because  of  the  thoughtless,  selfish  and  cruel  treatment  which 
many  people  give  the  birds,  it  has  been  found  necessary  to  protect 
them  also,  by  very  strict  lav^s,  to  prevent  many  species  from  being 
exterminated. 

Ducks,  geese,  quail  and  some  others  are  known  as  game  birds 
and  are  hunted  for  food.  Many  of  the  water  and  shore  birds  have 
been  hunted  for  their  plumage.  The  owls,  hawks  and  some  of  the 
song  birds  have  been  hunted  because  of  the  damage  they  were  sup- 
posed to  do. 

As  a  result  of  the  examination  of  the  crops  of  many  different 
kinds  of  birds  it  has  been  learned  what  sort  of  food  each  takes. 
Many  live  almost  wholly  upon  insects.  Others  live  partly  upon  in- 
sects and  partly  upon  fruit  and  grain.  The  birds  destroy  enormous 
quantities  of  insects  which  if  left  alive  would  do  great  damage  to 
our  fruit  trees  and  gardens.  Many  even  of  the  hawks  and  owls, 
which  were  once  thought  to  be  harmful,  have  been  found  to  be  very 
beneficial  because  of  the  mice,  rats  and  other  rodents  that  they 
destroy. 

We  must  not  forget  also  how  much  pleasure  we  take  in  the 
companionship  of  the  birds.  The  world  would  be  less  attractive 
without   their   music. 

We  should  take  care  also  of  our  mineral  resources. 

Nature  was  a  very  long  time  in  making  the  veins  of  gold,  sil- 
ver, copper,  lead  and  quicksilver  which  we  find  in  our  state.  In  a 
few  places  where  there  are  hot  springs,  these  minerals  are  still  being 
formed,  but  most  of  them  were  deposited  long  ago.  When  we  have 
dug  out  and  used  all  that  we  can  discover  of  these  valuable  sub- 
stances, we  shall  either  have  to  do  without  or  go  elsewhere  for  them. 

It  is  in  the  oil  fields  that  the  most  mineral  waste  occurs.  Some- 
times wells  cannot  be  controlled  and  large  quantities  of  oil  are  lost. 
For  many  years  the  gas,  that  comes  out  of  the  earth  with  the  oil, 
and  is  so  valuable  for  hghting  and  heating  purposes,  was  allowed  to 
escape  into  the  air.  The  loss  has  been  more  than  we  could  calculate 
and  can  never  be  replaced. 

Topic  III. — How  the  Growth  of  California  Has   Been  Af- 
fected by  the  Character  of  Its  Surface,  Its 
Streams  and  Its  Climate. 

There  was  little  farming  in  the  old  Spanish  days. 

Each  mission  and  ranch  had  its  own  garden  and  grain  fields, 
but  these  were  only  large  enough  to  supply  home  needs.  There  was 
no  market  for  any  products  of  the  soil. 

The  vast  herds  of  cattle  and  sheep  which  roamed  the  hills 
formed  the  wealth  of  the  people.  The  climate  was  so  mild  and 
grasses  so  abundant  that  they  required  little  attention  except  at 
branding  time. 


56 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


The  only  parts  of  the  animals  that  had  any  value  were  the  hides, 
tallow  and  wool.  These  were  shipped  by  occasional  trading  vessels 
which  brought  much  prized  luxuries  in  return. 

Travel  was  slow  and  difficult  before  the  building  of  wagon- 
roads. 

Travel  is  now  so  easy  between  most  parts  of  California  that  we 
do  not  realize  how  difficult  the  numerous  mountain  ranges  made 
a  long  journey  in  the  early  days.  There  were  then  no  roads  across 
the  mountains  which  lay  between  the  diiTerent  valleys  and  travel 
had  to  be  on  foot  or  horseback,  over  rough  paths  or  trails.  Many 
of  these  were  old  Indian  trails.  The  Indians  on  their  part  often 
made  use  of  the  trails  of  the  wild  animals  which  in  their  wanderings 
naturally  sought  the  easiest  routes  over  the  mountains. 

Trails  are  much  more  easily  built  than  wagon  roads  and  can 
be  made  where  the  mountains  are  too  steep  and  rocky  for  roads. 
Even  now  they  are  the  only  means  by  which  we  can  travel  through 
the  higher  and  more  rugged  mountains  of  California.  Although 
trails  seem  ill  suited  to  freighting,  yet  large  quantities  of  goods  are 
taken  over  them  on  pack  horses  or  mules  to  remote  mmmg  settle- 
ments which  can  be  reached  in  no  other  way. 

The  "overland  trails"  were  really  wagon  roads,  although  usually 
very  rough  and  steep.  The  Camino  Real,  the  name  which  we  give 
to  the  great  highway  leading  north  from  San  Diego  through  the 
whole  length  of  the  Coast  Ranges  to  Sonoma,  was  for  many  years 
merely  a  trail  not  suited  for  wagons. 


The  destructive  effect  of  avalanches  in  the  high  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains. 


California  57 

There  are  two  vast  mountain  regions  in  the  state  into  which 
no  roads  have  yet  been  built,  and  if  you  wish  to  see  their  wild 
and  picturesque  scenery  you  will  have  to  go  through  them  either  a- 
foot  or  on  horseback. 

So  rugged  are  the  Northern  Coast  Ranges  that  the  first  wagon 
road  across  them  was  not  finished  until  1914.  This  road  runs  from 
Eureka  to  Red  Blufif. 

How  did   mountain   passes   make   possible   the   settlement   of 
California? 

If  you  will  look  at  a  range  of  hills  or  mountains  you  will  notice 
that  its  crest  is  very  uneven.  There  are  high  points,  called  peaks, 
which  are  often  very  steep.  Between  the  peaks  you  will  see  saddle- 
like depressions  where  the  slopes  are  less  steep  and  often  easy  to 
cross.  Low  places  of  this  kind  we  call  mountain  passes,  or  simply 
passes. 

If  there  had  been  no  passes  in  the  lofty,  rugged  mountains  which 
shut  ofif  California  from  the  East,  or  in  those  mountains  which  break 
up  its  surface  into  so  many  separate  valleys,  it  would  have  been 
much  more  difficult  to  build  wagon  roads  and  railroads,  and  our 
state  would  have  remained  unsettled  much  longer. 

If  there  had  been  no  gaps  in  the  mountains  separating  South- 
ern from  Northern  California,  there  would  probably  have  been  two 
states  instead  of  one. 

What  are  the  mountain  passes  which  proved  of  so  much  im- 
portance in  the  early  days? 

If  we  were  placed  aniQng  the  mountains  of  a  land  that  was 
strange  to  us  and  our  lives  depended  upon  finding  a  way  through 
them,  we  could  then  understand  with  what  anxiety  the  pioneers 
hunted  for  passes  through  the  mountain  ranges  that  blocked  their 
paths. 

The  easiest  and  most  direct  route  across  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains,  although  not  the  lowest,  proved  to  be  that  by  Donner 
Pass,  and  so  most  of  the  emigrants  came  that  way. 

A  little  to  the  south  of  Donner  Pass  is  Carson  Pass,  by  which 
some  of  the  pioneers  came,  and  to  the  north  is  Beckwith  Pass,  which 
was  used  to  some  extent.  Although  the  latter  is  one  of  the  easiest 
passes  in  the  Sierras,  yet  the  rough  mountains  between  it  and  the 
Sacramento  Valley  offered  as  great  obstacles  to  the  building  of  a 
wagon  road  in  the  early  days  as  they  did  later  to  the  building  of 
a  railroad. 

The  lowest  and  easiest  crossing  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas  is  Walker 
Pass,  away  to  the  south.  This  pass  was  named  after  a  noted  trapper 
and  explorer.  No  emigrants  came  this  way  because  of  the  vast  Mo- 
have Desert  on  the  east  and  the  impassable  canon  of  the  Kern  River 
on  the  w'est. 

The  Santa  Fe  trail  led,  for  the  most  part,  through  an  open  but 
desert  country.  At  Fort  Yuma  it  divided;  one  branch  going  north- 
west  across   the   Colorado   Desert   and    through    the   San    Gorgonio 


58 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


Pass,  and  the  other  branch  going  west  across  the  Peninsula  Range 
to  San  Diego.  The  San  Gorgonio  Pass  is  a  remarkable  gateway  be- 
tween two  of  the  loftiest  mountains  of  Southern  California.  The 
Peninsula  Range  is  rugged,  with  no  low  passes.  San  Diego  has 
recently  been  benefited  by  a  railroad  constructed  along  the  border 
from  San  Diego  to  Yuma. 

The  old  Mormon  Trail  across  Southern  Nevada  reached  South- 
ern California  through  the  Cajon  Pass.  This  route  was  but  little 
used,  for  it  did  not  lead  to  the  mines.  Although  the  pass  is  4000  feet 
high'  it  forms  a  great  gap  between  the  San  Bernardino  and  San 
Gabriel  Ranges,  two  of  the  most  difficult  mountain  ranges  to  cross 
in  the  south. 
How  the  railroads  made  use  of  the  mountain  passes. 

If  there  had  been  no  mountain  passes,  the  building  of  the  over- 
land railroads  would  have 
been  delayed  for  many 
years.  Without  the  rail- 
roads the  fruit  and  agricul- 
tural industries  would  not 
have  developed  because  of 
the  impossibility  of  sending 
their   products   to  market. 

As  we  might  expect,  the 
first  railroad  to  California 
was  built  through  Donner 
Pass ;  the  one  which  the 
pioneers  had  found  easiest 
and  most  direct.  It  is  so 
high,  however,  that  the 
snow  falls  very  deep  and 
lasts  many  months.  In  or- 
der that  the  trains  may  be 
kept  running  throughout  the 
winter,  it  has  been  found 
necessary  to  build  many 
miles  of  snowsheds.  It  is 
now  proposed  to  tunnel  the 
mountains  and  so  escape  the 
snow  as  well  as  the  steep 
grade  over  the  summit. 

Beckwith  Pass  is  now 
used  by  the  Western  Pacific 
Railroad  and  has  the  ad- 
vantage of  being  much  less 
snowy. 

Siskiyou  Pass  has  been 
found  to  be  the   only  prac- 
tical   route     for    a    railroad 
The  new  State  Highway  in  Gaviota  Pass,        through    the    mountains    to 
Santa  Barbara  County.  Oregon.    Both  of  the  passes. 


California 


59 


giving  access  to  San  Bernardino  Valley  from  the  east,  are  used  by 
railroads.  The  San  Gorgonio  is  used  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Rail- 
road and  is  the  broadest  and  easiest  pass  leading  to  the  Pacific 
Slope,  for  it  is  only  2000  feet  high. 

The  Cajon  Pass  is  used  by  Santa  Fe  and  Salt  Lake  Railroads 
and  is  of  much  more  importance  now  than  it  was  in  the  early  days. 

How  was   the  exploration  of  the   Cahfornia   region  affected 
by  the  fact  that  there  are  few  navigable  streams? 

If  we  were  exploring  a  new  country  in  which  there  were  no 
roads  or  even  trails,  we  would  find  that  if  there  were  rivers  and 
lakes  upon  which  we  could  travel  in  boat  or  canoe  we  would  make 
much  better  progress  than  if  we  had  to  make  our  way  across  the  land. 

When  we  study  the  different  trails  to  California,  that  were 
traveled  in  the  early  days,  we  see  that  none  of  them  made  any  use 
of  lakes  or  rivers.  The  early  trappers  ascended  the  Missouri  and 
Yellowstone  Rivers,  but  these  do  not  lead  in  the  direction  of  Cali- 
fornia. The  Arkansas  River  was  too  shallow  and  swift.  In  some 
places  the  Snake  and  Columbia  Rivers  offered  opportunity  for  the 
use  of  rafts  or  boats,  but  they  were  not  on  the  route  to  California. 

The  ocean,  of  course,  offered  an  open  highway  to  California. 
But  for  the  people  of  the  East  the  long  sea  voyage  around  Cape 
Horn,  or  the  shorter  one  by  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  was  more  to 
be  dreaded  than  the  overland  route. 

The  only  navigable  water  ways  within  the  state  are  San  Fran- 
cisco Bay  and  its  branches,  the  short  tidal  streams  entering  these 
branches,  the  Sacramento  River  and  its  tributaries,  and  the  San 
Joaquin  River.  These  waterways  made  travel  to  the  mines  from 
San  Francisco  very  easy,  but  are  of  no  advantage  to  the  most  of 
the  state. 

We  can  say  in  conclusion,  then,  that  the  settlement  and  growth 


Freighting  on  the  desert  before  the  time  of  the  railroad. 


60  New  Progressive  Geographies 

of  most  of  California  has  been  much  slower  than  it  would  have  been 
had  it  possessed  many  deep  bays,  navigable  rivers  and  lakes. 

Farming  could  not  become  an  important  industry  until  there 
was  some  means  of  getting  produce  to  market. 

There  would  be  no  use  in  raising  large  quantities  of  fruit  and 
vegetables  if  we  had  no  means  of  shipping  them  where  they  were 
needed. 

Until  the  building  of  the  railroads  farming  and  fruit  growing 
could  not  become  an  important  industry.  The  home  market  re- 
quired but  a  small  part  of  what  the  soil  could  be  made  to  produce. 
The  navigable  streams  emptying  into  San  Francisco  Bay  reached 
only  a  short  distance  into  the  interior.  Even  the  ocean  could  not 
be  used  for  shipping  perishable  products  because  of  the  long  time 
required  to  reach  the  eastern  market. 

The  lack  of  summer  rains  also  delayed  the  development  of 
farming. 

Stock  raising  continued  for  a  long  time  to  be  the  most  impor- 
tant industry  next  to  mining,  partly  because  of  a  lack  of  market  for 
produce  and  partly  because  large  areas  of  the  state  which  furnished 
wild  forage  suitable  for  cattle  were  thought  to  be  too  dry  for  cul- 
tivation. 

The  open  ranges  finally,  however,  began  to  be  fenced;  farmers 
spread  into  the  drier  valleys  and  found  that  good  crops  of  grain 
could  be  grown  if  the  seed  was  put  into  the  ground  early  enough 
to  get  the  winter  rains.  But  it  was  not  until  the  advantages  of  irri- 
gation were  understood  that  the  desert  valleys  of  Eastern  and  South- 
ern California  were  considered  of  any  value.  In  these  dry  regions, 
under  an  almost  cloudless  sky,  the  farmers,  by  the  aid  of  irrigation, 
have  been  able  to  build  up  comfortable  homes  surrounded  with 
green  fields  and  orchards. 

The  period  of  the  great  grain  ranches. 

In  studying  the  growth  of  California,  we  find  that  as  stock 
raising  became  less  important,  the  production  of  wheat,  barley  and 
oats  increased.  The  larger  valleys  throughout  the  whole  length  of 
the  state,  wherever  the  rainfall  was  sufficient,  were  turned  from 
cattle  ranges  into  vast  grain  fields.  In  the  Sacramento  and  San 
Joaquin  Valleys  one  could  ride  in  the  spring  for  many  miles  through 
fields  of  waving  wheat. 

The  growing  of  grain  is  still  an  important  industry,  but  many 
of  the  great  ranches  are  being  cut  up  into  smaller  ones  where  diver- 
sified farming  is  now  carried  on. 

The  growing  of  grain  did  little  more  than  cattle  raising  to  fill 
our  great  valleys  with  comfortable  homes.  The  grain  ranches  were 
large,  like  the  stock  ranches,  and  the  homes  were  usually  surrounded 
with  few  comforts  because  of  the  lack  of  water. 

Farm  life  in  California  did  not  begin  to  be  attractive,  as  Nature 
intended    it    should   be,   until    people    learned   how   to    preserve    and 


California  61 

make  use  of  water  for  irrigating  the  dry  fields.  The  careful  culti- 
vation of  a  small  piece  of  land  with  the  aid  of  water  brings  a  better 
and  surer  living  than  the  poor  cultivation  of  a  large  piece  and  de- 
pendence upon  chance  rains. 

Irrigation  has  made  farming  the  most  important  industry  in 
California. 

The  early  emigrants  from  the  East  looked  upon  the  long,  dry 
summers  as  a  great  drawback  to  farming  in  California.  We  now 
know,  however,  that  this  was  a  mistake,  for  they  are  really  an 
advantage. 

In  the  first  place  the  lack  of  rain  makes  the  hot  climate  of  the 
interior  valleys  much  more  healthful  than  it  otherwise  would  be. 
In  the  second  place  it  is  a  great  advantage,  as  we  have  already 
learned,  to  be  able  to  turn  the  water  onto  the  fields  just  when  they 
need  it.  It  almost  seems  as  if  Nature  had  arranged  purposely  a 
supply  of  water  at  a  time  when  there  are  no  rains.  She  has  placed 
high  mountains  all  about  the  valleys.  The  heavy  storms  on  their 
summits  and  the  snowbanks  which  melt  slowly  furnish  the  water 
needed  for  summer  use  in  the  valleys. 

All  the  California  farmer  has  to  do  is  to  build  reservoirs  and 
ditches  and  he  can  have  water  whenever  he  wishes  it. 

California  now  ships  farm  produce  to  all  the  world. 

California  offers  everything  to  make  farm  life  within  its  boun- 
dary happy  and  prosperous;  sunny  skies,  water  for  irrigation,  and 
a  world  market.  It  has  so  many  sorts  of  climate  that  everyone  can 
find  a  place  to  suit  and  in  which  he  can  grow  what  he  likes  best. 
It  has  thousands  of  square  miles  of  the  richest  soil  in  which  will 
grow  plants  from  all  parts  of  the  world  except  the  tropics. 

All  the  markets  of  the  world  can  now  be  reached  from  Califor- 
nia. Six  lines  of  railroad  connect  it  with  the  Eastern  States.  The 
water  route  through  the  Panama  Canal  now  leads  to  the  East  and 
to  Europe.  About  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  upon  which  Cali- 
fornia faces  are  half  the  countries  of  the  world. 

California  fruits  are  known  all  over  our  country  and  in  Europe. 
There  is  little  danger  of  raising  more  than  we  can  sell.  The  climate 
of  half  of  our  country  is  cold  and  the  people  in  those  parts  are  glad 
to  get  our  semi-tropical  fruits.  Besides  this  we  can  supply  them 
with  other  fruits  and  vegetables  earlier  in  the  spring  than  they  can 
raise  them. 

Does  our  California  garden  yet  produce  all  that  it  might? 

Although  we  raise  immense  quantities  of  fruits  and  vegetables 
both  for  home  use  and  for  export  to  other  states  and  countries,  yet 
only   a    small   part   of   the    fertile   lands    of    California   are    carefully 

cultivated.  r    i      i  n  j 

We  can  travel  for  many  miles  m  some  of  the  larger  valleys  and 
see  only  a  few  well  cultivated  farms,  where  there  might  be  thou- 
sands with  comfortable  and  attractive  homes.     When  the  rich  lands 


62 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


are  all  improved  and  the  waters  which  now  run  useless  to  the  sea 
are  caught  in  reservoirs  and  turned  on  these  lands,  California  will 
support  many  times  its  present  population. 

How  a  great  aqueduct  brought  water  to  Southern  CaHfornia. 

Stories  of  the  ancient  Roman  Empire  tell  of  great  aqueducts 
built  to  supply  the  cities  with  water,  but  the  greatest  aqueduct  of 
all  time  has  been  built  in  Southern  California.  Water  is  the  single 
thing  of  importance  which  Nature  has  given  sparingly  to  this  region.- 
As  Los  Angeles  and  the  country  about  increased  in  population,  it 
was  seen  that  more  water  would  soon  be  needed  than  could  be  sup- 
plied by  the  streams  of  the  San  Gabriel  Mountains. 

To  obtain  more  water  the  engineers  turned  to  Owens  River, 
far  to  the  northward,  beyond  both  the  San  Gabriel  Mountains  and 
the  Mohave  Desert.  This  river  rises  in  the  snowbanks  and  lakes 
of  the  highest  part  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  and  is  finally 
lost  in  Owens  Lake. 

It  is  260  miles  from  Los  Angeles  to  the  point  in  the  river  where 
it  was  decided  to  take  out  the  water.  The  desert  had  to  be  crossed 
and  tunnels  several  miles  in  length  made  through  the  San  Gabriel 
Mountains.  To  prevent  the  loss  of  water  the  aqueduct  was  made 
of  cement  in  the  form  of  a  huge  tube. 

With  the  completion  of  this  aqueduct,  the  greatest  in  the  world, 
Southern  California  will  support  many  more  people  than  it  other- 
wise could. 

Is  there  water  enough  to  turn  all  our  deserts  into  fruitful 

gardens  ? 

We  often  think  of  a  desert  as  being  formed  of  sand  and  rocks, 
but  this  is  only  partly  true.  The  most  of  the  surface  of  our  Cali- 
fornia deserts  is  formed  of  good  soil  which  only  needs  water  to  pro- 
duce abundantly.  The  Colorado  Desert,  where  once  travelers  some- 
times died  of  thirst,  has  been  changed  by  the  water  brought  from 
the  Colorado  River,  into  a  luxuriant  garden. 

In  some  of  the  desert  valleys  water  is  found  by  diggmg  wells. 


Branding  cattle  on  a  desert  range. 


California 


63 


The  lofty  mountains  along  the  western  border  of  the  Great  Basin 
send  down  streams  which  supply  a  fringe  of  settlements,  but  the 
larger  part  of  this  desert  region  must  remain  a  barren  waste  for 
lack  of  water. 

The  advantages  of  country  life  in  California. 

Country  life  in  California  has  many  attractions.  The  weather 
is  pleasant  most  of  the  time  and  so  mild  that  one  can  sleep  out 
of  doors  throughout  the  whole  year.  Each  of  these  three  regions, 
the  sea -shore,  the  park  -  like  valleys,  and  the  mountains,  has  its 
own    charms. 

California  is  spending  a  large  amount  of  money  building  state 
highways  leading  through  the  principal  valleys  with  a  branch  to 
each  county  seat.  Rural  delivery  of  mail  and  the  telephone,  together 
with  good  schools,  draw  people  to  the  country. 

The  scenery  and  climate  attract  thousands  of  visitors  yearly. 

The  renown  of  our  mild  and  healthful  climate  has  gone  every- 
where. The  climate  and  the  wonderful  mountain  scenery  attract 
people  from  all  over  the  world.  There  is  no  scenery  finer  than  that 
of  the  great  volcanoes  or  the  gorges  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains. 
The  Yosemite  Valley  is  the  best  known  of  these  attractions. 

California  is  well  situated  for  trade  and  commerce  with  all 

the  world. 

We  see  from  the  map  that  California  occupies  about  one-half 
of  the  whole  Pacific  Coast  of  our  country.  The  Great  Bay  of  San 
Francisco  lies  a  little  south  of  the  middle  of  this  coast  line. 


The  Pinnacles,  Monterey  County,  one  of  the  smaller  National  Parks. 


64  New  Progressive  Geographies 

San  Francisco  Bay  receives  the  drainage  and  is  the  natural  com- 
mercial center  of  about  half  of  the  state.  San  Pedro  and  San  Diego 
Harbors  form  other  important  shipping  points.  The  overland  rail- 
roads connect  with  ocean  steamers,  opening  trade  and  travel  routes 
across  the  continent  to  all  parts  of  the  world. 

Topic  IV. — California  Has  Such  Wonderful  Scenery  that 
People  Come  from  All  Parts  of  Our  Country  to  See  It. 

Introduction. 

■  Nature  is  everywhere  at  work  on  the  surface  of  the  earth.  The 
muddy  rills  on  the  hillside  or  by  the  road  during  a  heavy  rain  teach 
us  this  fact.  The  rills  carry  away  so  much  earth  and  cut  such  deep 
gullies  that  sometimes  the  roads  become  impassable.  It  is  easy  to 
understand  that  if  Nature  has  time  enough  she  can  in  this  manner 
tear  down  the  loftiest  mountains. 

In  some  deserts  the  winds  blow  so  fiercely  over  the  surface 
that  particles  of  dust  and  sand  are  picked  up  and  carried  to  some 
distant  region.  In  the  north  the  ice  which  gathers  on  the  slopes 
moves  slowly  downward,  carrying  away  the  loose  earth  and  even 
grinding  off  the  solid  rocks.  But  it  has  taken  more  than  water, 
wind  and  ice  to  make  the  grand  scenery  of  California,  although,  as 
we  shall  learn  later,  these  have  all  helped. 

Nature  is  also  at  work  within  the  earth,  and,  although  in  some 
parts  of  the  earth  she  does  not  seem  to  have  done  much  in  a  long 
time,  yet  in  our  California  region  she  has  never  taken  a  rest. 

She  has  built  many  of  our  lofty  mountains  by  lifting  up  the 
solid  earth.  Whenever  it  breaks  or  slips  a  little  we  feel  an  earth- 
quake, and  we  say  that  our  mountains  are  growing. 

Only  a  few  of  the  earthquakes  that  have  occurred  since  the 
Pacific  Coast  has  been  settled  have  done  much  injury,  but  little  by 
little,  through  long  ages,  these  earthquakes  have  made  the  highest 
mountains  in  our  state. 

In  addition  to  earthquake  mountains,  California  has  many  vol- 
canic mountains  which  add  much  to  its  attractive  scenery.  North- 
eastern California  is  one  vast  lava  field  and  the  eruptions  of  Lassen 
Peak  tell  us  that  Nature  is  still  at  work. 

These  are  not  the  only  ways  in  which  our  mountains  have  been 
made.  Many  great  peaks  stand  out  all  alone  because  the  rocks  of 
which  they  are  formed  are  hard  and  do  not  crumble  easily  like  the 
rocks  about  them.     These  we  sometimes  call  erosion  mountains. 

In  what  way  does  the  great  earthquake  of  1906  help  us  to 
understand  the  story  of  our  mountains? 

The  earthquake  of  1906  was  the  most  destructive  one  since  Cali- 
fornia has  been  settled.  One  morning  the  earth  suddenly  broke  and 
slipped  along  a  fissure  hundreds  of  miles  in  length,  throwing  down 
buildings  and  killing  many  people. 

This  fissure  or  crack  in  the  earth  began  on  the  north  beneath 
the  ocean  and  where  it  appeared  on   the  land  near   Point  Arena  it 


California 


65 


upper    Yosemite    Fall.      This    gauzy    waterfall    is 
more  than  1000  feet  high. 


showed  by  the  fences 
and  roads  that 
crossed  it  that  the 
earth  had  sUpped 
sixteen    feet. 

We  can  follow 
the  line  of  the  earth- 
quake by  the  broken 
ground,  the  hollows, 
and  ridges  for  400 
miles,  to  San  Juan 
in  San  Benito  Coun- 
ty. From  here  a 
line  of  fissures  made 
by  older  earthquakes 
leads  us  on  through 
the  Coast  Ranges, 
along  the  southern 
side  of  the  Mohave 
Desert,  over  the  San 
Gabriel  Range  to  the 
\'alley  of  San  Ber- 
nardino, and  finally 
into  the  Colorado 
Desert,  where  we 
lose  it.  The  total 
length  of  the  great 
earthquake  crack  or 
fissure  is  more  than 
700  miles.  It  is  the 
most  remarkable 
thing  of  its  kind  in 
the  whole  world. 

There  are  in 
places  upon  this  fis- 
sure blufifs  200  to 
300  feet  high  made 
by  the  rising  of  the 
land  upon  one  side 
during  some  ancient 
earthquake.  These 
blufifs  are  miniature 
mountain  slopes  and 


tell  us  very  clearly  how  some  of  our  great  mountain  ranges,  such  as 
the  Sierra  Nevada,   were  made. 

What  earthquakes  have  had  to  do  with   the  making  of  oiir 

California  scenery. 

\\'e   must  remember,  in   spite   of  the   fact   that  earthquakes  are 
reallv    to   be   feared,    for    they    sometimes    do    serious    damage,    that 


66 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


many  of  the  things  which  make  California  such  a  rich  and  dcHght- 
ful  land  are  due  to  them. 

If  there  had  been  no  earthquakes  there  would  be  few  high 
mountains ;  there  would  be  little  picturesque  scenery,  the  rainfall 
would  be  so  small  toward  the  south  that  there  would  be  no  water 
for  irrigation  and  the  country  would  forever  remain  poor  and 
thinly  settled. 

Even  the  golden  riches  of  California,  which  first  drew  the  pio- 
neers, owe  their  presence  in  the  rocks  to  fissures  made  by  earth- 
quakes which  happened  long  ago. 

The  Sierra  Nevada  is  our  greatest  range  of  earthquake  moun- 
tains. It  contains  some  of  the  finest  scenery  in  all  our  country. 
It  is  covered  with  valuable  forests  and  affords  an  abundance  of 
water  for  irrigation.  These  mountains  have  been  lifted  along  a 
fissure  or  crack  until  they  now  show  a  w^onderful  eastern  wall  more 
than  two  miles  high.  They  are  still  growing,  for  in  1870  there 
occurred  a  severe  earthquake  in  Owens  Valley,  where  the  earth 
slipped  in  places  as  much  as  fifty  feet. 

The  San  Gabriel  and  San  Bernardino  Mountains  are  also  due 
to  earthquakes.  Their  grand  scenery  adds  greatly  to  the  attrac- 
tions of  Southern  California,  and  the  water  which  they  supply  makes 
possible  thousands  of  pleasant  homes. 

Great  volcanoes  add  much  to  the  scenery  of  California. 

Mt.  Shasta  is  a  volcano  and  the  grandest  mountain  in  California, 
rising  14,380  feet  above  the  ocean  and  standing  all  alone.  It  is 
white  with  snow  most  of  the  year  and  on  the  north  side  are  large 
glaciers. 


What  the  great  earthquake  of  1906  did  to  the  road  near  Pt.  Reyes.     The  road 
was  broken  and  the  parts  shoved  past  each  other  twelve  feet. 


California 


67 


To  understand  how  this  mountain  began  and  finally  became  so 
great,  we  will  visit  the  Mt.  Lassen  region  where  Nature  is  starting 
anew  her  fires  far  beneath  the  surface.  Here  there  are  boiling 
springs,  mud  volcanoes,  and  a  steaming  lake,  and  not  far  away  a 
cinder  cone,  lava  flow,  and  ash  almost  as  fresh  as  though  formed 
yesterday. 

Far  beneath  the  surface  it  is  very  hot.  In  those  regions  where 
the  myths  say  that  Vulcan  is  at  work,  it  often  becomes  so  hot  that 
the  rocks  are  melted  and  some  of  this  liquid  material  is  squeezed 
out  through  cracks  in  the  earth,  forming  lava.  Sometimes  water 
flows  down  through  the  cracks  to  where  it  is  hot  and  so  much 
steam  is  suddenly  formed  that  a  violent  explosion  takes  place.  These 
explosions  throw  out  clouds  of  steam,  ashes,  red  hot  lava,  and  be- 
tween the  explosions  there  may  be  quiet  flows  of  molten  lava  which 
spread  over  the  surrounding  country  like  a  sheet.  The  ashes,  cin- 
ders and  coarse  fragments  gather  i-ound  the  crater  and  in  time 
build  up  a  cinder  cone.  This  is  the  way  Mt.  Shasta  started,  but  it 
did  not  always  remain  a  cinder  cone.  Eruptions  followed  one  an- 
other through  thousands  of  years  until  the  mighty  mountain  was 
at  last  built  up. 

How  water  and  ice  have  helped  make  our  scenery  attractive. 

Water  is  doing  work  all  around  us,  as  we  can  see  every  time  it 
rains,  for  we  can  find  its  channels  upon  almost  every  hillside.  Be- 
fore water  could  begin   this  work   it   was   first  necessary,   however, 


<i 


Volcanic  Bombs  hurled  out  of  Cinder  Cone  which  rises  on  the  right 
east  of  Mt.  Lassen. 


68  New  Progressive  Geographies 

to  raise  lofty  mountain  peaks  and  ridges,  for  without  their  high  and 
steep  slopes  water  and  ice  could  have  done  little. 

As  the  mountains  of  California  slowly  grew  into  the  great  giants 
which  they  now  are,  the  streams  began  to  wash  away  the  crumbling 
rocks  and  cut  channels  in  them.  Sharp,  picturesque  peaks  appeared 
where  the  rocks  were  hard,  and  where  they  were  soft  valleys  were 
formed. 

In  places  the  streams  cut  deep,  narrow  channels  which  finally 
became  the  mighty  cafions  which  make  our  mountain  scenery  so 
celebrated.  In  this  way  arose  the  wonderful  canons  of  the  Tuol- 
umne, Merced,  Kings  and  Kern  Rivers.  Among  these  the  Yosemite, 
formed  by  the  Merced  River,  is  the  most  renowned. 

Now,  how  could  ice  have  had  to  do  with  the  making  of  our 
scenery,  since  most  of  the  state  has  such  a  mild  climate?  We  would 
hardly  expect  ice  to  be  of  much  importance  where  oranges  hang 
in  the  open  air  all  winter. 

We  must  not  forget  that  the  climate  of  the  lofty  mountains 
is  very  cold,  and,  besides,  more  snow  fell  upon  them  long  ago_  than 
falls  now.  In  fact,  there  was  so  much  snow  that  much  of  it  did 
not  melt,  but  became  hard  and  solid  like  ice. 

Streams  of  this  ice  moved  slowly  down  from  the  high  peaks 
and  filled  the  cations,  but  melted  before  reaching  the  warm  lowland 
valleys.  These  streams  of  ice  helped  carve  the  mountains  into  pic- 
turesque shapes.  They  dug  out  many  basins  in  which  lie  the  beau- 
tiful lakes  that  reflect  in  their  clear  waters  the  granite  clifTs  above 
them.  The  lakes  aid  in  holding  back  the  water  for  summer  use 
and  their  shores  made  pleasant  camping  places. 

At  the  present  time  only  a  few  glaciers  remain  and  these  are 
found  on  the  shady  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  Cascade  Range, 
and  Klamath  Mountains. 

Nature  has  made  many  changes  in  California,  and  has  not 

yet  finished. 

We  have  learned  that  the  mountains  are  slowly  being  worn 
down.  We  have  learned  also  that  Nature  is  making  new  ones  by 
means  of  earthquakes  and  volcanic  eruptions. 

We  have  found  sea  shells  high  on  the  hills  and  far  from  the 
ocean,  and  we  wonder  how  they  came  there.  Must  it  not  be  that 
what  is  now  dry  land  was  once  beneath  the  sea? 

Along  the  coast  we  find  old  beaches  with  pebbles  on  them  hun- 
dreds of  feet  above  the  present  sea.  At  Port  Harford  there  are 
caves  worn  by  the  waves,  but  now  many  feet  above  their  reach. 

All  the  bays  have  been  made  by  the  sinking  of  the  land  and 
the  flooding  of  river  valleys  by  the  sea.  The  Sacramento  River  once 
flowed  through  the  rich  valley  now  occupied  by  San  Francisco  Bay 
and  emptied  into  the  ocean  outside  the  Farallone  Islands. 

Long  ago  the  land  sank  so  much  that  the  valleys  were  flooded 
and  the^Coast  Ranges  changed  into  islands  and  peninsulas.  At 
another  time  nearly  all  the  islands  along  our  coast  formed  a  part 
of  the  mainland. 


California 


69 


Topic  V. — Some  Thoughts  on  the   Study  of  Cahfornia 

Geography. 

We  have  all  kinds  of  climate,  from  the  very  cold  to  the  very 
warm,  and  from  the  very  wet  to  the  very  dry.  We  have  mountains 
made  by  erosion  of  running  water,  earthquake  mountains  and  vol- 
canoes, plains,  valleys  and  cafions  with  wonderful  scenery.  We 
have  islands  and  bays  and  hundreds  of  beautiful  lakes  and  water- 
falls. We  raise  almost  every  sort  of  product  except  those  which 
grow  only  in  the  tropics,  and  our  situation  is  such  that  a  large  part 
of  the  commerce  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  must  come  to  us. 

Why  we  should  know  our  own  State  well 

It  is  important  that  we  know  our  own  state  well,  for  the  most 
of  us  will  live  here  all  our  lives.  For  us  this  is  the  most  impor- 
tant part  of  the  whole  world.  We  need  to  know  our  own  state  bet- 
ter than  any  other  because  this  knowledge  will  be  of  advantage  to 
us  in  every  business  we  undertake.  A  good  acquaintance  with  the 
region  in  which  we  live  gives  us  a  key  with  which  we  can  unlock 
the  geography  of  the  whole  world. 

Why  the  geography  of  our  State  includes  so  much  that  we 
ought  to  know:    A  review. 
1.  California  is  of  great  extent:     With  the  exception  of  Texas, 


The  wonderful  Buttes  near  San  Luis  Obispo.     Brothers  to  Morro  Rock. 
Carved  out  by  erosion  of  the  softer  rocks  around  them. 


70  New  Progressive  Geographies 

California  is  the  largest  state  in  the  Union,  containing,  as  it  does, 
156,092  square  miles. 

It  is  impossible  for  you  to  realize  how  large  it  is,  and  what  a  va- 
riety it  contains,  unless  you  travel  across  it  from  the  deserts  of  the 
southeast  over  the  snow-covered  mountains  and  across  the  broad 
valleys  to  the  dense  forests  of  the  northwest. 

2.  California  has  many  river  basins,  mountains,  valleys,  lakes, 
etc.:  The  surface  of  California  is  not  as  simple  as  that  of  most 
of  the  other  states,  but  is  so  broken  and  varied  and  has  so  many 
sorts  of  climate  and  productions  that  it  might  form  a  whole  coun- 
try independent  of  the  rest  of  the  world. 

Mountain  ranges  divide  the  state  into  distinct  portions,  each 
with  its  own  climate  and  productions. 

Most  of  the  streams  flow  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  some  sink  in 
the  deserts  of  the  Great  Basin,  while  one  empties  into  the  Gulf  of 
California. 

There  are  plains  formed  long  ago  beneath  the  ocean.  There 
are  great  desert  valleys  which  once  held  lakes ;  there  are  countless 
valleys  formed  by  running  water,  and  there  is  the  Great  Valley 
with  its  vast  plain-like  surface. 

3.  California   has   many  kinds   of  climate   because   of: 

A.  Extent  from  north  to  south :  California  extends  over  ten 
degrees  of  latitude,  which,  if  it  were  not  for  other  causes  of  which 
we  have  learned,  would  make  the  north  very  much  colder  than 
the  south. 

B.  Nearness  to  the  Pacific  Ocean :  The  temperature  of  the 
Japan  drift  changes  but  little  from  summer  to  winter.  The  winds 
which  blow  across  it  and  the  cold  water  near  the  shore  and  then 
over  California  make  the  climate  of  all  the  coast  valleys  milder  and 
more  even  than  it  otherwise  would  be. 

C.  The  position  of  the  mountains :  The  mountains  lie  across 
the  path  of  the  westerly  winds  which  blow  from  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
The  seaward  slopes  of  the  Coast  Ranges  are  cooler  and  more  moist 
than  the  landward  slopes. 

The  opening  in  these  mountains  at  San  Francisco  Bay  permits 
the  sea  winds  to  temper  the  heat  of  much  of  the  Great  Valley.  The 
Los  Angeles-San  Bernardino  Valley  is  open  to  the  sea  so  that  the 
cool  fog-bearing  winds  reach  far  inland  and  cause  the  oranges  to 
ripen  later  than  in  Northern  California. 

The  Sierra  Nevada,  San  Gabriel,  San  Bernardino  and  Peninsula 
Mountains  are  so  high  that  they  form  a  barrier  to  the  moist  west- 
erly winds.  Thus  there  is  formed  to  the  southeast  of  these  moun- 
tains the  driest  and  hottest  deserts  in  the  United  States. 

D.  The  height  of  the  mountains :  The  mountains  have  still 
another  most  important  efifect  upon  our  climate.  While  oranges 
grow  at  their  bases,  their  summits  are  very  cold.  Between  these  two 
regions  there  is  almost  every  sort  of  climate  which  one  could  wish. 

E.  More  frequent  storms  toward  the  north :  The  mountains 
are  not  the  only  cause  for  the  deserts  in  Eastern  and  Southeastern 
California.    The  storms  are  far  more  frequent  toward  the  north.     In 


California 


71 


Oregon  and  Washington  the  storms  are  more  frequent  and  the  rainy 
season  is  longer  than  in  California. 

F.  Summer  thunder-storms  partly  make  up  for  the  lack  of  rain 
where  the  winter  rains  are  light.  These  storms  occur  upon  the 
deserts  as  well  as  the  mountains  of  California,  Nevada  and  Arizona. 
When  the  downpour  is  sudden  and  severe  they  are  called  cloud- 
bursts.    The  floods  often   do  great  damage  to  roads   and  railroads. 

4.  California  has  a  wonderful  variety  of  natural  products:  Be- 
cause of  all  the  things  which  have  just  been  mentioned,  we  can 
grow  in  California  a  remarkable  variety  of  fruit,  garden  and  farm 
products.  Each  district  has  a  climate  of  its  own,  and  the  chief 
product  of  each  is  dififerent  from  that  of  the  others. 

We  can  divide  California  into  natural  districts  or  provinces 
and  thus  make  its  geography  more  simple  and  easy  to 
remember. 

From  what  has  already  been  said,  we  now  see  how  much  there 
is  to  learn  about  the  geography  of  our  state  if  w^e  would  understand 
it  as  we  ought. 

The  relief  map  shows,  if  we  examine  it  carefully,  that  we  can 
divide  California  into  a  number  of  natural  districts  or  provinces. 
Each  district  or  province  differs  from  the  others  in  the  sort  of  sur- 
face which  it  possesses  and  also  in  its  climate  and  in  its  produc- 
tions. If  we  take  up  the  study  of  each  province  by  itself,  our  task 
will  be  much  easier. 

The  seven  natural  provinces  of  California. 

1.     The  Great  Valley  of  California:     This  is  also  known  as  the 


The  rugged  eastern  front  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  from  Owens  Valley. 


72 


Nkw  Progressive  Geographies 


Great  Central  Valley,  or  the  Sacramento-San  Joaquin  Valley.  The 
relief  map  or  model  shows  that  this  valley  extends  north  and  south 
for  four  hundred  miles  through  the  heart  of  California.  The  sur- 
face, climate  and  industries  make  this  a  natural  region. 

2.  The  Coast  Ranges:  These  mountains  lie  between  the  Great 
Valley  and  the  ocean.  They  include  many  ranges  and  thus  form  a 
mountain  system.  Between  the  different  ranges  are  many  beautiful 
and  fertile  valleys. 

3.  The  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains:  These  mountains  form  the 
great  barrier  which  the  pioneers  had  to  cross  before  they  could 
reach  the  Land  of  Gold.  They  form  a  picturesque  region  of  granite 
peaks,  deep  canons  and  dense  forests.  Here  rise  the  greater  num- 
ber of  the  important  rivers  of  California. 

4.  Southern  California:  This  region  first  made  California  fa- 
mous for  its  oranges.  It  is  known  for  its  mild  winter  climate  and 
attractive   scenery. 

5.  The  Great  Basin:  A  region  of  mountains  and  deserts,  alka- 
line lakes  and  strange  animals     and  plants. 

6.  The  Klamath  Mountains:  A  picturesque  region  of  forest- 
covered  mountains  and  caiions,  occupying  the  northwest  corner  of 
the  state. 

7.  The  Volcanic  Plateau:  An  elevated  region  of  ancient  vol- 
canoes, extensi\'e  plateau   valleys  and  forests. 


Bullfrog  Lake  at  the  head  of  Kings   River,   Sierra  Nevada  Mountains.     This 

lake  is  due  to  a  hollow  in  the  rocks  which  was  scraped  out 

by  an  ancient  glacier. 


California  73 

SUMMARY. 

When  California  was  discovered  it  was  one  of  the  fairest  lands 
ever  looked  upon. 

Owing  to  its  position,  extent,  varied  surface,  and  to  the  direc- 
tion of  the  winds  which  blow  over  it,  California  has  such  a  variety 
of  climates  that  every  one  can  find  within  its  boundaries  that  which 
is  most  agreeable  to  him,  and  engage  in  the  sort  of  farming  that 
he  likes  best. 

Nature's  gifts  are,  however,  unevenly  distributed,  w^hich  fact 
caused  the  settlement  of  the  more  favored  portions  long  in  advance 
of  the  less  favored.  People  rushed  to  the  gold  regions  first.  Then 
they  spread  to  the  fertile  valleys  which  had  an  abundance  of  rain, 
and  when  they  had  learned  the  advantages  of  irrigation  settled  the 
drier  parts  of  the  state. 

Manufacturing  is  becoming  an  important  industry  as  a  result 
of  the  discovery  of  vast  deposits  of  oil,  but  agriculture  will  always 
remain  as  the  foundation  of  the  wealth  of  California. 

The  natural  resources  of  our  state,  so  rich  when  people  first 
came,  wnll  disappear  as  they  have  in  other  countries  if  we  do  not 
use  them  carefully. 

We  must  see  that  the  soil  is  not  washed  away  from  our  fields 
and  that  the  mountain  slopes  remain  protected  by  the  forests  so 
that  the  water  supply  is  not  lessened. 

The  forests  form  one  of  our  most  important  resources,  and  if 
the  trees  are  not  cut  or  burned  faster  than  they  grow,  these  forests 
will  always  remain  to  furnish  lumber  and  fuel  and  enrich  us  in 
many  other  ways. 

The  wild  creatures  should  not  be  wantonly  destroyed,  for  many 
of  them  are  very  useful.  The  birds  in  particular  are  among  our 
very  best  friends. 

Because  of  the  mountainous  surface  and  few  navigable  streams, 
travel  through  California  was  difficult  in  the  early  days. 

After  the  gold  excitement  the  population  did  not  again  increase 
rapidly  until  the  railroads  were  built  connecting  wath  the  East  and 
the  value  of  irrigation  had  become  known. 

The  careless  farming  of  large  ranches  is  giving  place  to  the  care- 
ful  cultivation  of   small   ones. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

Mention   the   important  natural   resources  of   California. 

Describe  any  of  the  wild  animals  of  California  that  you  have  seen. 

Describe  any  of  the  forests  that  you  have  visited. 

What  is  needed  to  make  trees  grow  to  a  great  size? 

Mention  some  of  the  reasons  why  California  has  a  great  variety  of 

plant  and  animal  life. 
What  parts  of  the  state  were  first  settled?     Why? 
W'hy  does  the  farmer  usually  take  more  pains  with  his  home  than 

the  miner? 


74  New  Progressive  Geographies 

Mention  some  of  the  minerals  found   in   California,  beginning  with 
the  most  important. 

In  what  way  does  the  story  of  oil   or  petroleum  differ  from   that 
of  coal? 

In  what  way  have  we  been  careless  of  our  natural  resources? 

Why  do  w^e  need  water  so  much  in  the  summer? 

What  is  the  result  of  the  washing  away  of  the  soil  by  the   rains? 

How  does  Nature  protect  the  soil? 

Why  should  we  be  careful  not  to  injure  the  mountain  slopes  about 
the  heads  of  the  streams? 

How  do  the  forests  aid  in  holding  water  for  use  in  summer? 

Mention  all  of  the  uses  of  the  forests  that  you  can  think  of. 

Tell  what  you  can  about  the  condition  of  those  people  who  have 
cut  down  their  forests. 

Give  all  the  reasons  you  can  for  preserving  the  birds. 

Which  of  our  resources  will  never  be  replaced  by  Nature  when  we 
have  used  them  up? 

Why  was  there  little  land  cultivated  in  the  old  Spanish  days? 

Describe  any  pass  that  you  have  seen  between  the  hills  or  moun- 
tains, and  tell  if  it  is  made  use  of. 

Mention  the  important  passes  leading  into  California. 

How  could  the  coastal  slope  of  California  have  been  settled  if  no 
passes  had  been  found? 

What   is   usually   the   easiest  means  of   travel   in   exploring  a   new 
country? 

What  were  the  chief  products  raised  in  California  before  the  build- 
ing of  the  railroads? 

What  are  now  the  chief  products? 

By  what  routes  are  these  products  now  shipped  to  Eastern  and  for- 
eign markets? 

What  means  have  we  now  of  preserving  perishable  products  until 
they  reach  market? 

Tell  something  about  the  advantages  of  irrigation. 

In  what  parts  of  California  is  irrigation  most  necessary?     Why? 

Tell  what  you  can  about  the  Los  Angeles  aqueduct. 

What  are  the  advantages  of  country  life  in  California? 

Tell  what  you  can  about  the  earthquake  of  1906. 

How  docs  this  earthquake  help  us  to  understand  the  making  of  our 
great  mountains? 

Tell  what  you  have  read  about  the  eruptions  of  Mt.  Lassen. 

Mention  some  of  the  great  volcanic  peaks  in  California. 

Tell  what  you  can  about  the  beginning  of  a  cafion,  basing  your  de- 
scription on  what  you  have  seen  during  a  heavy  rain. 

Why  are  the  glaciers  in  the  mountains  of  California  few  and  small 
at  the  present  time? 

Why  should  we  know  the  geography  of  our  home  and  state  better 
than  that  of  other  countries? 

Why  is  the  geography  of  California  so  difficult?     Give  all  the  rea- 
sons that  you  can  think  of. 

In  what  way  can  we  make  its  study  more  simple? 


California 


75 


PRACTICAL  LESSONS. 

For  the  growth  of  great  coniferous  forests  there  is  needed  a  moist 

air  and  mild  temperature  like  that  of  the  middle  slopes  of  our 

California  mountains. 
A  mountainous  country  has  a  much  more  varied  climate  than  a  level 

country. 
A  country  over  which  ocean  winds  blow  has  a  more  mild  and  even 

climate  than  one  whose  winds  come  from  the  lands. 
A  new  country  is  ordinarily  settled  first  along  the  waterways. 
People  will  go  to  any  sort  of  country,  even  though  it  be  a  desert 

or  have  an  arctic  climate,  for  the  sake  of  gold. 
Manufacturing   will   not   become    important   in    any    place    unless   it 

has  w^ater  power  or  cheap  fuel. 
A  country  whose  resources  are  used  up  faster  than  Nature  increases 

them  will  in  time  become  poor. 
The  farmer  who  takes  no  care  of  his  soil  will  never  be  prosperous. 
The   inhabitants   of   a   country   whose   forests   have   been    destroyed 

have  a  hard  time  to  make  a  living. 
Our  national   parks   and  forest  playgrounds  are  worth  far  more   to 

us  left  as  Nature  made  them  than  if  the  forests  were  cut  down 

and  the  land  cultivated. 
We  should  study  carefully  the  habits  of  the  wild  creatures  and  pro- 
tect all  that  are  not  harmful. 
Mountain  passes  make  possible   the  settlement  of  a  country  which 

without  them  would  long  remain  uninhabited. 
Before  we  raise  a  crop  we  should  first.be  sure  of  a  market. 
Crops  are  much  more  certain  when  irrigation  is  used  than  w^hen  we 

depend  upon  chance  showers. 


An  irrigation  canal. 


76 


New  Procressive  Geographies 


Earthquakes  are  often  blessings  in  disguise. 

Nature  is  ever  changing  the  surface  of  the  earth,  but  in  mountain- 
ous regions  is  working  much  faster  than  upon  gentle  low- 
land slopes. 

People  can  now  control  Nature's  way  of  doing  things  and  over- 
come the  obstacles  she  has  put  in  the  way  far  easier  than  they 
could  long  ago. 

If  we  do  not  first  know  the  country  we  live  in,  we  have  no  means 
of  knowing  other  countries. 


^m^. 


rtf'?;?.". !f' ; ^'J ' wij ' *". v-i  .ifyj  ¥'/•'''•  %'-^M^i'jr^viB«!'  -aa'^*.     k 


The  Sacramento  Valley,  level  as  a  floor,  supports  vast  fields  of  wheat. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Great  Valley— The  Granary  and  Future  Garden  of  California. 

Where  lies  the  valley  of  which  we  are  going  to  learn,  and 

why  is  it  so  named? 

In  the  heart  of  California  is  a  lowland  region  of  such  vast  extent 
that  all  the  other  valleys  might  be  spread  out  in  it  and  then  not 
cover  it.  The  valley  is  entirely  inclosed  by  two  great  lines  of  moun- 
tains, the  Sierra  Nevadas  on  the  east  and  the  Coast  Ranges  on  the 
west.  If  we  should  draw  a  line  along  the  summits  of  these  moun- 
tains, the  space  thus  included  would  equal  about  half  the  area  of 
the  state. 

This  lowland  is  fully  400  miles  long  from  north  to  south  and 
in  places  fifty  miles  wide,  and  much  of  the  surface  is  almost  as  even 
as  a  floor.  We  might  call  it  a  plain,  as  has  sornetimes  been  done, 
but  it  is  a  true  valley,  being  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  mountains. 
Because  of  its  size  It  has  become  known  as  the  Great  Valley  of 
California. 
By   what  names    are   parts   of   the    Great   Valley    commonly 

known  ? 

The  Great  Valley  is  really  formed  of  two  valleys  placed  end 
to  end.  The  northern  one  is  called  the  Sacramento  Valley,  the 
southern  one  the  San  Joaquin.  The  valleys  slope  toward  each  other 
and  in  traveling  through  them  we  cannot  tell  when  we  leave  the 
one  and  enter  the  other. 

The  river  which  drains  the  northern  valley  is  known  as  the 
Sacramento.  The  main  river  of  the  southern  valley  is  the  San  Joa- 
quin. These  rivers  come  together  in  the  form  of  the  letter  "Y"_  in 
a. delta  region  of  marshes,  and  then  enter  Suisun  Bay.  Continuing 
westward  the  waters  of  the  united  rivers  break  through  the  Coast 
Ranges  at  the  strait  of  Carquinez  and  enter  the  ocean  through  San 
Pablo  and  San  Francisco  Bays. 
How  is  it  that  the  Sacramento,  thotigh  much  the  smaller  of 

the   two   arms    of   the   Great   Valley,    is    drained   by   the 

larger  river? 

The  Sacramento  Valley  extends  toward  the  north,  so  that  it 
and  the  surrounding  mountains  have  a  greater  rainfall  than  the 
San  Joaquin  Valley,  which  extends  toward  the  south.  In  truth,  so 
little  rain  falls  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley 
that  this  region  is  almost  a  desert. 

If  we  follow  the  Sacramento  River  and  its  main  branches,  the 
Pitt,  Feather  and  American  Rivers,  to  their  sources,  we  shall  find 
that  all  flow  through  regions  of  heavy  rainfall  and  all  but  the  last 
rise  outside  of  the  rim  of  encircling  mountains.  They  carry  a  large 
amount  of  w^ater  throughout  most  of  the  year. 

The  rivers  oi  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  also  rise  \n  lofty  moun- 


78  New  Progressive  Geographies 

tains,  but  they  do  not  all  unite  in  the  San  Joaquin  River.  Its  chief 
tributaries  are  the  Merced,  Tuolumne,  Stanislaus  and  Mokolumne 
Rivers,  which  enter  the  northern  part  of  the  valley. 

What  becomes  of  the  Kings,  Kern  and  Kaweah  Rivers,  which 
carry  great  floods  of  water  into  the  valley  in  the  spring,  but  whose 
waters  rarely  enter  the  San  Joaquin  River? 

If  we  could  follow  the  Kings  River  downward  from  the  point 
where  it  leaves  the  mountains,  we  would  see  that  it  spreads  out 
over  a  large  extent  of  country  in  many  branching  channels,  form- 
ing a  true  delta.  On  this  delta  are  situated  the  luxuriant  gardens, 
orchards  and  vineyards  of  the  Fresno  region. 

The  river  has  through  many,  many  years  been  bringing  soil  and 
sand  from  the  mountains  and  has  at  last  built  up  its  delta  so  that  it 
now  forms  a  low  ridge  entirely  across  the  valley.  This  ridge  or  water 
parting  turns  the  waters  of  the  Kings  as  well  as  of  the  Kaweah 
and  Kern  Rivers  southward  away  from  the  San  Joaquin. 

The  waters  of  the  Kings  River  thus  gather  in  a  basin  and  form 
Tulare  Lake,  which  was  in  early  days  one  of  the  largest  bodies  of 
water  in  the  state.  Farther  south  the  water  of  the  Kern  River  col- 
lects in  another  basin,  forming  Buena  Vista  and  Kern  Lakes. 

So  much  of  the  water  of  Kings  River  is  now  used  for  irrigation 
that  Tulare  Lake  has  nearly  disappeared.  After  a  time,  as  more 
settlers  come  to  this  region,  the  water  will  all  be  used  for  irriga- 
tion and  the  once  great  lake  will  appear  no  more  upon  our  maps. 

Who  were  the  first  settlers  in  the  Great  Valley? 

The  Spaniards  never  spread  into  the  Great  Valley,  for  they  were 
comparatively  few  in  number  and  the  region  lay  far  from  the  coast. 

The  first  white  man  to  make  his  home  here  was  Capt.  Sutter, 
a  Swiss,  who  came  in  1839.  He  obtained  a  large  grant  of  land  and 
built  his  celebrated  fort  near  the  mouth  of  the  American  River. 

When  gold  was  discovered  and  people  from  the  East  began  to 
pour  across  the  Sierra  Nevada  IMountains,  they  found  at  Sutter's 
Fort  a  chance  to  rest  and  renew  their  supplies  and  obtain  directions 
for  reaching  the  newly  discovered  mines. 

The  town  of  Sacramento  soon  sprang  up  on  the  Sacramento 
River  near  the  fort  and  became  the  terminus  of  all  the  emigrant 
trails  across  the  Sierras. 

To  Sacramento  came,  also,  man}^  of  those  who  landed  in  San 
Francisco,  for  this  was  a  central  point  easily  reached  by  water. 
From  there  the  Great  Valley,  stretching  north  and  south  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach,  formed  an  open  highway  to  the  foothills  where 
the  gravels  were  waiting  to  give  up  their  golden  treasures. 

Among  the  most  noted  of  the  early  emigrants  who  settled  in 
the  Sacramento  Valley  was  General  Bidwell,  whose  ranch  and  orch- 
ards were  widely  known. 

Why  do  we  call  this  valley  the  granary  and   fntnre  garden 
of  California? 
Do  you   not   think   that   the   word   granary   is   a   suitable   name 


California 


79 


for  a  valley  in  which  you  can  travel  for  days  through  fields  of  wav- 
ing grain?  For  many  years  the  Great  Valley  has  been  one  almost 
continuous  field  of  wheat,  barley  and  oats.  California  has  been 
known  as  one  of  the  great  grain  producing  states.  We  have  ship- 
ped wheat  and  flour  to  all  parts  of  the  world.  The  most  of  this 
was  grown  in  the  valley  of  which  we  are  speaking. 

The  Great  Valley  was  first  given  over  largely  to  the  raising  of 
cattle,  horses  and  sheep.  Then  it  became  the  granary  of  the  state, 
and  although  large  quantities  of  grain  are  still  raised,  it  is  slowly 
being  transformed  into  a  garden.  The  great  ranches  which  were 
usually  poorly  cultivated  and  whose  owners  had  few  of  the  com- 
forts of  life  are  being  cut  up  into  small  ones,  which  under  careful 
cultivation  produce  everything  that  can  be  desired. 

To  make  a  garden  three  things  are  needed :  rich  soil,  water  and 
a  suitable  climate.  The  most  of  the  valley  has  a  rich  soil.  An 
abundance  of  water  for  irrigation  is  supplied  by  the  many  rivers 
which  flow  from  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains.  To  those  parts  not 
supplied  by  Nature  we  carry  water  by  means  of  many  canals.  The 
climate  is  adapted  to  the  growing  of  a  great  variety  of  products. 
When  enough  people  have  come  to  make  use  of  all  these  gifts,  the 
Great  Valley  will  become  the  garden  of  California. 

Is  the  situation  of  the  valley  favorable  to  its  becoming  the 
home  of  a  great  farming  people? 

In  order  that  the  Great  Valley  may  become  thickly  settled,  there 
must  be  a  market  for  what  is  grown  there.  If  we  look  at  the  map 
we  shall  see  how  Nature  has  arranged  the  outlets  of  the  valley. 


Stockton  water  front. 


80  New  Progressiv]-:  Geographies 

The  streams  and  slopes  all  lead  toward  the  point  where  the 
two  main  rivers  unite  and  flow  down  through  the  Coast  Ranges 
to  the  city  of  San  Francisco.  This  city  is  one  of  the  markets  of  the 
valley,  and  it  has  the  farther  advantage  of  being  connected  with  all 
the  world  by  water. 

Four  railroads  lead  out  of  the  state  through  mountain  passes. 
One  extends  north,  two  east  and  one  southeast,  connecting  the  val- 
ley with  other  parts  of  our  country  whose  people  are  looking  for 
the  many  things  grown  here  which  they  cannot  grow. 

Has  the  situation  of  the  Great  Valley  any  disadvantages? 

Our  relief  map  tells  us  that  there  is  a  rim  of  mountains  all 
about  the  valley,  and  that  these  mountains  are  in  most  places  high 
and  difficult  to  cross.  The  gold  seekers  found  them  the  worst  ob- 
stacles in  all  their  long  journey  across  the  continent. 

There  are  few  roads  over  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  and 
these  are  passable  only  a  part  of  the  year  because  of  the  snow. 
Beyond  the  mountains  are  deserts  which  also  help  to  separate  the 
people  of  the  Great  Valley  from  other  valleys. 

Only  one  wagon  road  has  been  built  across  the  higher  part  of 
the  Coast  Ranges  north  of  San  Francisco,  and  that  extends  from 
Redding  to  Eureka.  South  of  San  Francisco  there  are  several  passes 
leading  through  the  Coast  Ranges,  but  there  is  little  travel  over 
them  because  the  country  bordering  upon  the  San  Joaquin  Valley 
is  very  dry  and  thinly  settled. 

What  makes  the  climate  of  the  valley  so  warm? 

We  have  already  learned  that  the  Great  Valley  is  separated  from 
the  ocean  by  a  mountain  system  which  we  call  the  Coast  Ranges. 
If  we  should  leave  the  coast  on  a  summer  day,  when  the  cool  winds 
from  the  sea  are  burying  all  the  adjacent  valleys  in  fog,  and  should 
cross  the  mountains  to  the  Great  Valley,  we  would  find  the  sun  shin- 
ing brightly  and  the  air  hot  and  dry.  In  spite  of  the  heat  we  would 
not  suffer  because  the  air  is  so  dry. 

At  the  Strait  of  Carquinez,  where  there  is  a  gap  in  the  moun- 
tains, there  is  such  a  strong  draught  of  cool  air  into  the  valley  that 
a  little  sea  fog  sometimes  creeps  in,  cooling  all  the  delta  region  as 
far  as  Sacramento  and  Stockton.  The  summer  heat  is  not  unhealth- 
ful  and  sunstrokes  are  rare.  Without  the  heat  and  the  many  months 
of  bright,  sunny  weather,  we  would  not  find  there  such  sweet  oranges 
and  raisins. 

The  Coast  Ranges  make  the  Great  Valley  so  much  warmer  than 
it  would  be  if  open  to  the  sea  winds  that  oranges  as  far  north  as 
Oroville  ripen  much  earlier  than  they  do  in  the  San  Bernardino 
Valley,  which  is  400  miles  farther  south. 

The  earliest  spring  fruits,  such  as  cherries  and  apricots,  do  not 
come  from  the  south,  as  we  might  expect,  but  are  produced  in  the 
region  about  Vacaville  on  the  western  side  of  the  Sacramento  Valley 
close  under  the  protecting  shelter  of  the  Coast  Ranges. 


A  Typical  Scene  in  Llie  L»reat  Valley  ol  California 


k 


California 


81 


Another  interesting  thing  about  the  Great  Valley  is  that  it  has 
fogs  in  winter  when  there  is  little  fog  on  the  coast.  The  winter  fog 
is  called  tule  fog,  because  it  is  heaviest  in  the  low  delta  region,  where 
the  tules  grow.  It  is  caused  by  the  moisture  from  the  ground  rising 
into  the  cold  winter  air. 

How  is  it  that  parts  of  the  Great  Valley  are  so  thinly  settled? 

The  western  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  is  very  dry  and 
toward  the  southern  end  it  is  like  a  desert.  No  streams  How  down 
from  the  Coast  Ranges,  and  as  there  is  neither  enough  rain  nor 
w^ater  for  irrigation,  this  region   is   almost  uninhabited   by  farmers. 

We  are  learning  from  our  study  of  California  how  mountains 
by  furnishing  a  supply  of  water  make  it  possible  for  people  to  set- 
tle and  have  comfortable  homes  in  many  of  the  valleys  where 
little  rain  falls.  We  must  remember,  however,  that  most  of  the 
storms  come  from  the  west,  striking  most  severely  on  the  slopes 
of  the  mountains  which  face  the  ocean.  On  the  opposite  or  eastern 
side  of  the  mountains  there  is  less  rain  than  if  there  were  no  moun- 
tains at  all. 

This  is  why  the  western  side  of  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joa- 
quin Valleys,  close  to  the  Coast  Ranges,  is  so  dry.  These  moun- 
tains not  only  cut  off  the  cool  winds,  making  the  valley  hot  in  sum- 
mer, but  they  also  break  the  force  of  the  storms. 

The  cool  air  of  the  slopes  toward  the  ocean  causes  heavy  rain 
to  fall  as  the  storms  pass  over  them.  By  the  time  the  clouds  have 
reached  the  Great  Valley  they  have  lost  so  much  water  that  in  the 


^feltg^^ 


Picking  cantaloupes  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 


82  New  Progressive  Geographies  : 

warmer  air  of  this  region  the  rain  may  cease  to  fall  and  the  sun 
shine  out. 

As  the  air  moves  still  farther  eastward  it  reaches  the  high 
Sierras.  Here  it  becomes  chilled  again.  The  clouds  grow  thick  and 
heavy  and  finally  afiford  rain  or  snow. 

In  this  way  the  mountain  streams  are  fed  that  supply  water  to 
the  farmers  to  irrigate  their  fields  in  the  valleys  where,  perhaps, 
no  rain  has  fallen. 

The  reason  why  the  San  Joaquin  climate  is  drier  than  that  of 
the  Sacramento  is  that  many  storms  pass  across  the  northern  part 
of  our  state  without  reaching  the  southern  valleys.  There  may  be 
days  of  rainy  weather  in  the  Sacramento  Valley,  while  in  the  San 
Joaquin  there  are  only  clouds  in  the  sky. 

How^  is  it  that  the  Great  Valley,  although  it  has  such  a  dry 
climate,  is  so  well  supplied  with  water  that  it  will  some 
day  support  millions  of  people? 

If  you  should  journey  up  the  west  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Val- 
ley in  summer  you  would  not  come  to  a  single  stream  of  running- 
water.  Upon  the  west  side  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  you  would 
find  a  few  small  ones.  If  you  should  now  take  a  similar  journey 
along  the  east  side  of  the  Great  Valley  you  would  find  many  rivers 
which  in  the  spring  and  early  summer  are  so  large  that  you  would 
have  difficulty  in  crossing  them.  They  pour  such  a  flood  of  water 
into  the  valley  that  the  lowlands  are  sometimes  flooded. and  travel 
is  interfered  with. 

All  these  rivers  take  their  rise  in  the  snow  banks,  springs  and 
lakes  of  the  mighty  mountains  lying  to  the  east  and  north.  They 
furnish  water  enough  to  irrigate  not  only  the  whole  of  the  eastern 
side  of  the  valley,  but  the  western  side  as  well.  The  building  of 
reservoirs   and   canals  will  enable  us  to  hold   the  flood  waters  and 


Drying  apricots  in  San  Joaquin  Valley. 


California 


83 


distribute    them    to   thousands   of   square    miles    of    the    richest    soil 
which   Nature  left  dry  and  barren. 

How  is  it  that  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  though  they 
make  communication  with  the  East  so  difficult,  are  nev- 
ertheless of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  people  who 
dwell  in  the  Great  Valley? 

1.  The  mountains  are  useful  because  they  supply  water  for 
irrigation:  Without  the  Sierra  Nevadas  the  rivers  of  the  Great  Val- 
ley would  be  few  and  small.  The  southern  part  of  the  valley  would 
be  so  dry  that  it  would  be  useful  only  as  pasture  for  cattle  and 
sheep.  Farther  north  the  heavier  rains  would  make  possible  the 
growing  of  grain.  Without  water  the  population  must  have  re- 
mained small  and  scattering. 

The  Sierra  Nevada  mountains  have  so  great  an  extent  and  are 
so  lofty  and  cold  that  the  clouds  which  passed  over  the  Coast  Ranges 
without  losing  their  water  particles  are  here  compelled  to  give  up 
nearly  all  that  they  have  in  the  form  of  heavy  rains  and  snows. 

'  2.  The  mountain  streams  furnish  water  power:  The  people  of 
the  Great  Valley  need  electricity  for  lighting  their  homes.  It  is 
needed  for  running  cars  and  for  manufacturing.  The  mountain 
streams   flow^   swiftly   down    through    their   canons    and    furnish    un- 


A  flooded  rice  field  in  the  Sacramento  Valley. 


84  New  Progressive  Geographies 

limited    power,    when    turned    into   electricity,    for    doing   all    kinds 
of  work. 

3.  The  mountains  furnish  fire-wood  and  lumber:  The  moun- 
tain slopes  are  covered  with  forests  because  of  the  heavy  rains  and 
snows.     These  forests  contain  a  great  variety  of  trees  suitable  for 

"fire-wood  and  lumber.  The  wood  is  usually  brought  to  the  valley 
in  wagons.  The  lumber  is  sawed  in  the  mountains  and  floated  down 
to  the  valley  in  flumes. 

4.  The  mountains  furnish  summer  camp  grounds:  In  the  sum- 
mer the  people  of  the  Great  Valley  delight  to  make  excursions  into 
the  mountains,  where  the  cool,  shady  slopes,  pure  water  and  grand 
scenery  make  living  out  of  doors  pleasant  and  healthful. 

What  was  the  appearance  of  the  Great  Valley  when  people 
first  came? 

Fremont,  the  first  explorer,  speaks  of  the  country  about  Sut- 
ter's Fort  as  surpassingly  beautiful  with  rich  grasses,  flowers  and 
groves  of  oak  trees.  There  were  deer,  antelope  and  elk  in  the  open 
and  bear  in  the  thickets  along  the  streams. 

Majestic  oak  trees  give  parts  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  park.  As  we  go  south  there  is  less  rain,  the  trees 
disappear  except  for  those  on  the  bottom  lands  along  the  streams. 
Far  to  the  south  on  the  deltas  of  the  Kings,  Kern  and  Kaweah 
Rivers  are  scattered  cottonwood  trees. 

It  was  in  the  spring  that  the  valley  appeared  so  beautiful  to 
the  emigrants.  Flowers  of  many  colors  made  brilliant  the  open 
plains  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Most  prominent  among  them 
was  the  orange-colored  poppy,  now  the  state  flower. 

A  group  of  ancient  volcanoes. 

How  there  came  to  be  volcanoes  in  the  Sacramento  Valley  we 
cannot  tell.  A  few  miles  northwest  of  Marysville,  in  the  middle 
of  the  valley,  rise  the  sharp  points  of  the  Marysville  Buttes.  Long 
ago  these  buttes  threw  out  ashes  and  lava,  but  now  they  are  quiet 
and  are  slowly  crumbling  away. 

Why  are  the  rivers  of  the  Great  Valley  so  little  used  by  boats  ? 

The  Sacramento  River  forms  an  important  highway  as  far  as 
the  city  of  Sacramento.  The  San  Joaquin  River  is  of  equal  impor- 
tance for  the  transportation  of  freight  and  passengers  as  far  as  the 
city  of  Stockton. 

Before  the  building  of  the  railroads,  these  rivers  offered  the 
only  easy  means  of  reaching  the  interior  of  the  state.  Boats  once 
went  up  the  Sacramento  as  far  as  Red  Bluff  and  the  Feather  River 
to  Marysville,  but  hydraulic  mining  has  so  filled  the  channels  that 
these  portions  are  now  too  shallow  for  boats  of  any  size  except 
during  spring  floods.  When  the  valley  becomes  more  thickly  set- 
tled the  rivers  will  be  dredged  so  that  freight  boats  wall  go  as  far 
north  as  Redding. 


California 


85 


Some  time  the  San  Joaquin  River  and  its  tributaries  will  be 
deepened  and  we  shall  probably  see  a  long  canal  dug  southward 
through  the  whole  length  of  the  valley  to  Buena  Vista  Lake.  When 
that  time  comes,  the  lands  which  are  now  unfruitful  because  of  the 
lack  of  water  will  be  thickly  settled.  The  farmers  along  the  canal 
will  have  a  cheap  and  easy  means  of  sending  their  produce  to  mar- 
ket, and  the  vast  oil  fields  of  this  region  will  be  able  to  get  their 
supplies  with  much  less  difficulty. 

How  is  it  that  the  "Delta  Region"  has  such  rich  soil? 

As  we  cross  the  Great  Valley  on  our  way  from  San  Francisco 
to  Sacramento  or  Stockton,  we  ride  over  miles  of  marsh  lands  cov- 
ered with  waving  tules.  If  we  happen  to  cross  this  region  in  the 
spring,  we  find  that  a  vast  lake  has  covered  the  tules,  for  the  streams 
bring  so  much  water  during  their  floods  that  it  cannot  at  once  es- 
cape through  the  Strait  of  Carquinez  to  San  Francisco  Bay. 

Long  ago  there  were  no  marshes  here  nor  any  delta,  for  the 
land  stood  higher  than  now  and  the  San  Joaquin-Sacramento  River 
emptied  into  the  ocean  outside  of  the  Golden  Gate.  Finally  the  land 
began  to  sink  and  soon  the  ocean  water  swept  in  and  flooded  the 
lower  valleys  of  the  river,  making  San  Francisco,  San  Pablo  and 
Suisun  Bays. 

Suisun  Bay  became  a  great  body  of  water,  reaching  probably 
as  far  as  Sacramento  and  Stockton.  Into  this  bay  the  rivers  of  the 
Great  Valley  emptied.  Year  by  year  they  brought  down  the  richest 
particles  of  soil,   as  the  rains  washed  them   from   all   the  mountain 


The  result  of  the  farmer's  toil  on  the  rich  delta  lands  of  the 
Sacramento-San  Joaquin  rivers, 


86  New  Progressive  Geographies 

slopes  about  the  valley.  This  fine,  muddy  material  slowly  filled  the 
bay  until  the  most  of  it  was  turned  into  the  marsh  of  today.  Some 
time  Suisun  Bay  will  be  entirely  filled. 

Beneath  the  tules  of  the  marshes  the  soil  is  deep  and  dark  and 
rich.  Dikes  of  earth  are  now  being  built  to  protect  from  the  floods, 
and  powerful  machinery  is  used  to  pump  out  the  water  as  fast  as 
the  dikes  are  completed. 

Many  thousands  of  acres  have  already  been  reclaimed  and  pro- 
duce luxuriant  crops.  The  fertility  of  the  soil  tells  us  why  in  other 
parts  of  the  world  deltas  have  been  inhabited  by  such  rich  and 
prosperous  peoples. 

How  irrigation  will  make  homes  for  millions  of  people. 

We  have  seen  how  water  is  the  life  of  the  land ;  without  it 
there  can  be  neither  plants  nor  animals  nor  people.  The  lack  of 
water  in  many  parts  of  the  earth  leaves  them  uninhabited,  or  if  peo- 
ple do  manage  to  live  in  them  they  have  to  move  from  place  to 
place  to  obtain  feed  for  their  cattle.  They  build  no  permanent 
homes  nor  do  they  have  many  comforts. 

Few  settlers  occupied  the  drier  parts  of  the  Great  Valley  be- 
fore the  introduction  of  irrigation.  Their  ranches  were  large  and 
the  towns  were  far  apart.  This  was  the  time  when  cattle  and  grain 
were  the  chief  products.  It  took  thousands  of  acres  of  this  dry 
land  to  support  one  family. 

Now  great  reservoirs  have  been  built  in  the  mountains  to  hold 
the  water  for  summer  use,  and  many  canals  lead  this  water  to  the 
thirsty  land.  Green  fields  of  alfalfa,  orchards  and  vineyards  are 
spreading  over  the  valley  and  comfortable  homes  are  springing  up. 

Why  do  we  call  this  valley  the  ''Garden  of  California"? 

The  Great  Valley  contains  the  largest  area  of  rich  land  in  Cali- 
fornia. It  has  also  a  climate  which  will  grow  almost  everything 
that  can  be  desired,  and  finally  it  has  an  abundance  of  water  for 
irrigation. 

Much  of  the  area  of  the  valley  is  yet  uncultivated,  much  is 
still  devoted  to  grain,  but  wherever  water  has  been  carried  orchards 
and  vineyards  and  thickly  clustered  homes  with  every  comfort  are 
turning  it  into  a  garden. 

The  successful  growing  of  alfalfa  has  led  to  the  developm.ent 
of  dairying  and  hog  raising  until  they  have  become  important  in- 
dustries. 

Oranges,  lemons,  figs  and  olives  are  grown  everywhere,  but  the 
two  first  do  best  about  the  borders  of  the  valley,  where  the  land 
rises  to  meet  the  foothills,  for  here  it  is  less  frosty. 

The  growing  of  table  grapes  is  an  important  industry.  The  cli- 
mate and  soil  of  the  Fresno  district  have  been  found  especially 
suited  to  the  raisin  grape  and  so  this  has  become  the  center  of  the 
raisin  industry  of  the  state. 

Peaches,  apricots  and  pears  are  raised  in  great  quantities.    These 


California  87 

together  with  cherries  reach  the  market  first  from  the  Vacaville 
region. 

The  "delta"  about  which  we  have  just  learned  is  remarkable 
for  the  variety  and  richness  of  its  productions.  If  we  take  the 
steamer  down  the  river  from  Sacramento  in  the  summer,  we  see 
the  boat  taking  on  fruit  and  melons  at  every  landing.  If  we  go 
up  the  San  Joaquin  River  to  Stockton,  we  see  men  taking  care  of 
great  fields  of  potatoes,   celery,   asparagus   and  onions. 

The  growing  of  rice  along  the  lowlands  has  become  one  of  the 
most  important  industries  of  the  Sacramento  Valley.  If  it  were 
not  for  the  absence  of  the  curious  costumes  of  the  people  of  the 
East  we  might  almost  imagine,  when  we  look  at  these  great  fields 
of  rice,  that  we  were  in  Japan,  China  or  Java.  Cotton  growing  is 
being  tried  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  where  the  great  heat  and 
long  growing  season  of¥er  favorable  conditions. 

How  do  the  people  of  the  valley  dispose  of  the  vast  quantities 
of  fruit  which  they  raise? 

Thousands  of  carloads  of  fresh  fruit  and  vegetables  are  sent  to 
the  Eastern  market  from  Sacramento,  which  has  become  the  central 
shipping  point.  The  use  of  refrigerator  cars  enables  these  products 
to  reach  the  East  in  a  fresh  condition. 

Many  canneries  use  up  a  large  part  of  the  fresh  fruit,  while 
immense  quantities  are  dried.  Dried  fruits  \^ill  keep  a  long  time 
and  can  be  sent  to  any  part  of  the  world. 

Does  the  Great  Valley  supply  any  minerals? 

We  do  not  look  for  minerals  in  a  valley  because  they  are  usu- 
ally found  in  rocks.  In  the  valleys  the  rocks  are  buried  deeply  by 
the  soil,  but  they  appear  everywhere  in  the  hills  and  mountains 
which  inclose  the  valleys. 

In  the  hills  about  the  borders  of  the  southern  San  Joaquin  Val- 
ley, and  in  some  places  extending  into  the  valley,  are  some  of  the 
most  wonderful  petroleum  deposits  known  in  all  the  world. 

Nature  seems  to  have  placed  the  oil  fields  in  the  driest  and 
most  desert-hke  portion  of  the  valley,  as  though  she  wished  to 
have  all  the  land  useful  for  something. 

The  most  important  fields  are  the  Kern,  near  Bakersfield ;  the 
Sunset,  Midway  and  McKittrick,  on  the  west  side  of  the  valley  op- 
posite Bakersfield,  and  the  Coalinga  field,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
valley  from  Fresno. 

The  oil  is  obtained  by  drilling  wells  in  the  earth,  sonie  of  them 
being  nearly  a  mile  deep.  The  oil  is  dark  and  some  of  it  is  quite 
thick  before  it  is  refined.  The  dark  oil  is  valuable  as  fuel  for  en- 
gines of  all  kinds.  It  has  largely  taken  the  place  of  wood  and  coal 
upon  the  railroads  of  the  West  and  upon  the  boats  plying  the  Pacific 
Ocean. 

There  are  many  wonderful  wells  in  the  Sunset  district.  Two 
wells  spouted  oil  high  in  the  air  for  many  months,  and  produced 
as  much  as  50,000  barrels  of  oil  each  per  day. 


88 


New  Progressive  GEOGRAPHifiS 


Immense  quantities  of  gas,  suitable  for  lighting  and  for  running 
engines,  comes  out  with  the  oil.  Much  of  this  gas  was  at  first 
wasted,  but  now  it  is  piped  to  Los  Angeles,  where  it  is  used  for 
many  purposes. 

An  important  mining .  industry  in  the  Sacramento  Valley  is 
dredging  for  gold  in  the  beds  of  the  rivers.  The  center  of  this 
mining  is  the  Feather  River  bottom  lands  near  Oroville. 

Thousands  of  acres  of  rich  lands  have  been  turned  upside  down 
and  ruined  in  the  search  for  gold.  The  cultivation  of  oranges  and 
olives,  which  are  now  produced  in  large  quantities  about  Oroville, 
is,  however,  a  far  more  permanent  source  of  wealth  than  this  sort 
of  mining,  which  has  destroyed  so  much  fertile  land. 

The  towns  that  grew  up  in  the  Great  Valley  in  the  pioneer 
days. 

In  the  early  days  all  the  supplies  for  the  mines  had  to  be  brought 
from  San  Francisco,  for,  before  the  railroads  were  built,  it  was  im- 
possible to  transport  them  across  the  continent. 

Freighting  on  the  rivers  of  the  Great  Valley  became  an  impor- 
tant business,  for  they  were  deeper  and  easier  to  navigate  than  they 
are  now.  The  loads  were  discharged  at  points  nearest  the  different 
mining   camps   and   at   a   number   of   these   points    important    towns 


A  busy  river  scene  at  Sacramento. 


California 


89 


grew  up.  The  supplies  were  carried  to  the  mines  from  the  landing 
places  upon  huge   freight  wagons  drawn  by  long  strings  of  mules. 

Just  below  Sutter's  Fort  a  town  sprang  up  which  has  since  be- 
come an  important  city  and  capital  of  the  state.  Sutter's  Fort  first 
attracted  people  to  this  point  because  it  was  in  the  foothills  nearby 
that  gold  was  first  discovered. 

The  new  town  of  Sacramento  was  found  to  be  centrally  located 
and  so  all  the  overland  emigrants  came  here  first  before  scattering 
to  the  different  mining  camps. 

The  situation  of  Sacramento  was,  then,  favorable  for  it  to  grow 
into  an  important  city.  Large  boats  came  up  the  river  as  far  as  this 
point.  From  here  the  first  railroad  was  built  to  Folsom,  a  mining 
town  in  the  foothills.  The  most  important  overland  trails  termi- 
nated here,  and  here  came  also  the  Central  Pacific,  the  first  over- 
land railroad. 

With  the  building  of  the  railroads  through  the  Sacramento  and 
San  Joaquin  Valleys,  Sacramento  became  more  important  still  as  a 
distributing  point.  It  is  now  the  center  of  a  rich  fruit-growing  dis- 
trict and  the  point  from  which  thousands  of  carloads  of  produce  are 
sent  East. 

Marysville  sprang  up  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  Feather 
River.  It  soon  became  an  important  place,  for  there  were  many 
rich  mines  that  were  easiest  reached  from  here.     After  a  few  years 


The  beautiful  grounds  of  the  state  capitol  at  Sacramento. 


90  New  Progressive  Geographies 

the  hydraulic  mines  washed  so  much  sand  and  gravel  into  Feather 
River  that  its  channel  was  filled  up.  During  the  spring  floods  it 
overflowed  and  covered  hundreds  of  acres  of  rich  bottom  lands  with 
barren  sand.  Marysville  would  have  been  flooded  also  if  strong 
dikes  of  earth  had  not  been  thrown  up.  Now  the  bed  of  the  river 
is  higher  than  the  streets  of  the  town. 

At  a  point  near  the  limit  of  navigation  on  the  Sacramento  a 
reddish  colored  blufif  overhung  the  river  and  so  the  town  which 
grew  up  here  came  to  be  known  as  Red  Blufif.  All  the  northern 
mines  in  Shasta,  Trinity  and  Siskiyou  Counties  were  reached  from 
Red  Blufif. 

When  the  railroad  was  built  to  Redding,  it  m  turn  became  the 
distributing  point  for  the  north.  Boats  cannot  now  go  to  Red  Blufif, 
but  some  time  the  river  will  be  dredged  and  freighting  on  the  upper 
Sacramento  will  again  become  important. 

It  was  a  long  land  journey  from  Sacramento  to  the  southern 
mines  and  so  an  easier  route  was  sought.  This  led  to  the  establish- 
ment of  a  town  on  a  branch  of  the  San  Joaquin  River,  where  now 
is  the  city  of  Stockton. 

The  present  city  owes  its  importance  partly  to  the  fact  that  it 
is  in  the  center  of  a  rich  and  highly  cultivated  region  and  partly  to 
its  being  at  the  outlet  of  the  great  San  Joaquin  Valley.  To  this 
point  produce  can  be  brought  from  all  parts  of  the  valley  by  rail- 
road and  then  transferred  to  boats.  Important  flour  and  other  mills 
are  located  here. 

The  settlement  of  the  valley  has  led  to  the  growth  of  new 

cities  and  towns. 

Fresno  is  the  most  important  of  the  newer  cities  and  is  des- 
tined to  become  the  metropolis  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  It  looks 
as  if  Nature  intended  that  there  should  be  a  city  here  in  the  center 
of  the  great  fertile  delta  of  the  Kings  River. 

This  delta  is  not  marshy  hke  that  of  which  we  have  recently 
learned.  It  is,  instead,  a  vast,  gently  sloping  plain  built  up  by  the 
sand,  gravel  and  soil  brought  down  by  the  Kings  River.  The  river 
splits  up  into  many  branches  on  the  delta  and  these  have  been  far- 
ther increased  by  the  building  of  canals  so  that  the  whole  is  thor- 
oughly watered. 

Orchards  and  vineyards  extend  out  many  miles  in  every  direc- 
tion from  the  city  of  Fresno.  The  growing  of  the  raisin  grape  has 
become  such  an  important  industry  here  that  Fresno  has  become 
known  as  the  raisin  center  of  California. 

Bakersfield  is  situated  in  the  southern  end  of  the  valley  on  the 
Kern  River.  Although  the  city  is  surrounded  by  many  miles  of  the 
richest  lands,  these  are  as  yet  but  thinly  settled.  When  the  name 
Bakersfield  is  mentioned,  we  think  of  the  oil  fields  and  their  many 
miles  of  derricks  where  the  oil  is  being  pumped  out  of  the  earth. 
The  city  is  the  center  for  the  most  important  oil  districts  in  the  state. 

Taft  and  Coalinga  on  the  west  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley 
have  become  important  towns  in  a  dry  and  desert-like  region  where 


California 


91 


there  is  neither  a  farmhouse  nor  any  cultivated  land  to  be  seen. 
They  depend  solely  on  the  oil  business,  and  if  the  wells  should  cease 
to  produce,  every  one  would  leave. 

Tulare  and  Visalia  owe  their  situation  to  the  delta  of  the  Ka- 
weah  River.  To  the  east  of  these  places  in  the  edge  of  the  foothills 
are  the  most  important  orange  growing  districts  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley. 


View  of  Fresno  from  an  aeroplane. 

There  are  many  other  towns  in  the  Great  Valley,  such  as  Merced, 
Modesto  and  Chico,  each  of  which  forms  a  center  for  orchards  and 
green  fields  of  alfalfa,  but  there  are  still  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
acres  of  uncultivated  land  upon  which  the  wild  flowers  bloom  a^ 
they  did  when  the  state  was  first  explored. 

SUMMARY. 

The  Great  Valley  includes  a  vast  area  of  almost  level   land  in 
the  heart  of  California.     It  is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  mountains 
which  makes  access  difficult  except  by  the  single  outlet  to  San  Fran 
cisco  Bay. 

The  climate  is  hot  in  summer  and  in  the  southern  part  ver^- 
dry.  Although  possessing  a  soil  deep  and  rich  and  abundantly  sup- 
plied with  water  by  the  rivers  that  come  down  from  the  Sierra  Ne- 


92  New  Progressive  Geographies 

vada  Mountains,  the  valley  remained  poorly  cultivated  for  many 
years. 

It  was  not  until  the  railroads  were  built  and  the  value  of  irri- 
gation understood  that  many  people  began  to  settle  here.  Then  the 
great  ranches  which  had  been  devoted  to  stock  and  grain  began  to 
be  cut  up  into  small  ones;  orchards  began  to  be  set  out  and  new 
towns  to  spring  up  here  and  there. 

While  the  valley  has  been  known  as  the  "granary"  of  Califor- 
nia," it  is  fast  becoming  a  garden  in  which  millions  of  people  will 
some  time  find  comfortable  and  happy  homes. 

REVIEW  QUESTIONS. 

Tell  what  you  can  about  the   mountains   that  surround   the    Great 

Valley,  and  trace  its  watershed  on  the  map. 
Through  what  gap  is  the  valley  easily  reached? 
Describe  the  formation  of  the  deltas  of  the  valley.     Which  is  the 

most  important  one  and  what  are  its  productions? 
What  do  the  mountains  afford  the  people  of  the  valley  that  they 

could  not  do  without? 
At  what  point  was  the  first  settlement  made  ?     What  city  afterward 

sprang  up  here? 
Why  are  the  rivers  navigable  for  so  short  a  distance? 
Explain  from  the  map  where  a  canal  could  be  easily  dug  through 

the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 
Why   is   the  western   side   of   the   valley   less    thickly    settled    than 

the  eastern? 
How  is  it  that  so  little  rain  falls  in  the  southern  part? 
How  would  the  climate  be  aiTected  if  the  Coast  Ranges  were  taken 

away?     What  effect  would  this  have  upon  the  industries? 
Why  were  the  large  ranches  necessary  before  the   coming  of  irri- 
gation? 
Mention  the  most  important  fruits  and  tell  how  they  are  marketed. 
What  sort  of  a  climate  is  needed  for  making  good  raisins? 
Describe  the  methods  employed  in  the  growing  of  rice.     Can   rice 

be  grown  where  there  is  little  water? 
For   what  different  purposes   do  the   people  of   the   valley   use    the 

mountain  streams? 
How  would  the  deepening  of  the  rivers  and  the  building  of  canals 

help  the  Great  Valley? 
What  mining  industries  are  carried  on  here? 
Give   reasons   for  the   situation   of   Sacramento,    Stockton,   Redding,^ 

Fresno. 

PRACTICAL  LESSONS. 

A  valley  surrounded  by  mountains  is  difficult  to  reach,  but  these 
mountains  may  at  the  same  time  be  of  such  value  that  it  would 
not  be  habitable  without  them. 

Mountains  afford  attractions  and  resources  of  many  kinds  which  add 
greatly  to  the  wealth  of  the  neighboring  valleys. 


California  93 

A  region  which  is  cut  off  from  the  ocean  winds  by  mountains  is 
hotter  in  summer  and  colder  in  winter  than  it  otherwise  would 
be.     It  has  ordinarily  also  less  rainfall. 

The  careful  cultivation  of  a  small  piece  of  land  is  more  profitable 
than  the  careless  cultivation  of  a  large  piece. 

Cities  and  towns  spring  up  at  those  points  where  Nature  has  made 
it  convenient  for  men  to  meet  for  various  purposes. 

A  land  which  has  rivers  and  canals  for  carrying  goods  has  an  ad- 
vantage  over  one   dependent   upon   wagon   roads  and  railroads. 

Wherever  water  can  be  obtained  for  irrigation,  a  dry  and  desert 
country  can  be  turned  into  the  most  productive  of  gardens. 


The  rocky  shore  of  Carmelo  Bay — back  of  which  rise  the 
rugged  Coast  Ranges. 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Coast  Ranges:     A  Region  of  Mountains  and  Innumerable  Park- 
Like  Valleys  Whose  Fertile  Soil  and  Agreeable  Climate 
Make  This  An  Attractive  Land. 

Introduction. 

The  name  "Coast  Ranges"  tells  us  at  once  in  what  part  of  Cali- 
fornia the  mountain  region  which  we  are  going  to  study  is  situated. 
We  must  remember,  however,  that  the  mountains  which  we  call  the 
Coast  Ranges  do  not  include  all  those  near  the  coast,  but  only  such 
as  are  situated  between  the  Great  Valley  and  the  ocean. 

Both  to  the  north  and  south  of  those  mountains  which  we  agree 
to  call  the  Coast  Ranges  are  others  bordering  the  ocean  but  which 
have  different  names. 

The  relief  map  shows  us  that  the  Coast  Ranges  are  not,  like 
the  Sierra  Nevadas,  formed  of  one  great  and  lofty  range,  but  of 
many  ranges  of  much  less  height.  We  call  the  Coast  Ranges  a 
mountain  system  because  they  consist  of  a  number  of  ranges  grouped 
together. 

We  learn  farther  from  the  relief  map  that  these  ranges  extend 
parallel  with  each  other  and  nearly  parallel  with  the  general  line  of 
the  coast.  They  lap  past  each  other  like  the  shingles  on  a  roof. 
Where  a  range  ends  there  is  a  headland  or  cape,  and  where  there 
is  an  opening  through  a  range  or  between  two  ranges  there  is  a 
bay.  Most  of  the  bays  are,  however,  not  well  protected  because 
of  the  direction  of  the  mountains. 

The  region  of  the  Coast  Ranges  includes  about  the  same  area 
as  the  Great  Valley,  but  a  large  part  of  it  is  so  rough  that  it  will 
always  be  sparsely  inhabited.  Toward  the  north  the  rainfall  is 
heavy  and  there  is  much  valuable  timber,  but  southward  the  tim- 
ber is  scattering  and  the  mountain  slopes  are  mostly  covered  with 
brush. 

Why  was  it  that  the  early  navigators  learned  so  little  of  the 
land  lying  back  of  the  Coast? 

The  first  navigators  who  visited  the  coast  encountered  many 
storms  and  found  few  places  in  which  they  could  anchor  safely. 
Much  of  the  shore  was  rocky  and  behind  it  rose  steep  mountains 
which  barred  the  way  into  the  interior.  Where  there  were  sandy 
beaches  the  breaking  waves  and  lack  of  protection  from  storm  kept 
them  from  landing. 

If  the  mountains  had  extended  out  into  the  ocean  instead  of 
being  nearly  parallel  with  the  shore,  there  would  have  been  prom- 
inent headlands  with  deep  bays  between  them  in  which  to  anchor 
and  valleys  which  could  have  been  followed  back  into  the  un- 
known land. 


96  New  Progressive  Geographies 

How  did  the  direction  of  the  Coast  Ranges  make  exploration 
by  land  easy? 

The  Spanish  explorers  who  went  northward  through  the  Coast 
Ranges  found  few  difficulties  because  of  the  long,  open  valleys  be- 
tween the  ranges  leading  almost  in  the  direction  in  which  they 
wished  to  go ;  but  since  the  ranges  do  not  run  quite  parallel  with 
the  coast,  it  was  necessary  to  cross  several  of  them. 

North  of  Santa  Barbara  rises  the  great  wall  of  the  Santa  Ynez 
Mountains,  blocking  the  way.  The  explorers  followed  the  coast 
until  they  came  to  a  gap  in  the  mountains  which  is  known  as  the 
Gaviota  Pass.  Then. they  passed  through  a  country  of  rolling  hills 
and  valleys  until  they  came  to  the  Santa  Lucia  Range.  They  crossed 
this  through  a  low  place  called  Cuesta  Pass. 

They  were  now  in  the  Salinas  Valley,  which  led  them  north- 
westward as  straight  as  an  arrow  for  one  hundred  miles.  This 
brought  them  to  the  Bay  of  Monterey.  To  reach  San  Francisco 
another  range,  known  as  the  Gavilan,  had  to  be  crossed;  after  which 
a  beautiful  valley  led  through  to  San  Jose  and  San  Francisco.  This 
route  from  San  Diego  and  Los  Angeles  to  San  Francisco  came  to 
be  known  as  the  Camino  Real,  meaning  the  King's  Highway. 

Can  we  explain  why  San  Francisco  Bay  is  the  only  good  har- 
bor in  this  region? 

On  the  eastern  coast  of  our  country  there  are  good  bays  ex- 
tending far  into  the  land  where  large  rivers  enter  the  ocean.  This 
is  because  the  land  has  sunk  so  that  their  mouths  are  now  flooded. 

The  coast  of  California  has  also  sunken,  but  not  enough  to 
make  deep  bays  at  the  mouths  of  any  of  the  rivers  except  the  Sac- 
ramento. At  the  mouth  of  the  Klamath,  the  second  largest  river 
on  the  coast  of  California,  there  is  no  bay  at  all.  The  Sacramento 
River  flow^s  through  a  broad,  low  valley  to  the  ocean,  and  that  is 
the  reason  that  a  slight  sinking  of  the  land  formed  a  great  bay  ex- 
tending far  into  the  interior. 

If  the  land  should  continue  to  sink,  other  valleys  of  the  coast 
region  would  be  flooded  and  we  would  have  many  good  harbors, 
but  would  lose  most  of  our  rich  valley  lands. 

San  Francisco  Bay  forms  one  of  the  finest  harbors  in  the  world. 
It  is  so  hidden  from  the  ocean  that  the  early  navigators  sailed  past 
without  suspecting  that  it  was  here. 

How  has  the  scarcity  of  good  harbors  and  openings  through 
the  Coast  Mountains  affected  the  growth  of  the  cities  of 
this  region? 

Because  San  Francisco  Bay  forms  the  only  safe  deep-water  har- 
bor and  has  in  addition  easy  communication  with  the  interior,  its 
shores  have  become  a  great  manufacturing  and  commercial  center. 
Here  can  be  easily  brought  the  products  of  a  vast  region  for  ship- 


California 


97 


ment  to  foreign  countries,  and  from  here  their  products  can  be  dis- 
tributed over  our  own  country. 

San  Francisco  has,  then,  advantages  which  no  other  place  in 
the  Coast  Range  possesses.  Other  cities  have  sprung  up  along  the 
shores  of  this  region  where  there  are  small  harbors  and  bays.  Be- 
cause of  the  mountains  lying  back  which  interfere  more  or  less  with 
travel  into  the  interior,  they  are  supported  chiefly  by  the  people  of 
the  surrounding  country  and  carry  on  trade  only  with  San  Francisco. 

What  can  we  learn  as  to  the  position  of  the  watershed  of  the 
Coast  Ranges  and  its  influence  on  their  settlement? 

Strange  as  it  may  be,  the  watershed  or  water-parting  of  this 
region  is  near  its  eastern  edge,  although  in  places  the  highest  moun- 
tains are  near  the  ocean.  We  have  already  learned  that  the  main 
force  of  the  storms  is  felt  on  the  westward  or  coastal  slope  and  that 
the  eastern  is  much  drier.  Because  of  these  two  things  the  west- 
ward slope  has  large  and  important  rivers,  while  the  eastern  has 
no  stream  large  enough  to  be  called  a  river.  The  western  slope  is, 
then,  well  watered;  it  has  many  large  and  fertile  valleys  and  con- 
tains most  of  the  population.  The  eastern  slope  is  thinly  settled 
and  poorly  watered. 

If  the  watershed  of  this  region  had  been  near  the  sea,  the  larger 
part  would  have  been  dry  and  must  always  have  remained  thinly 
settled. 


The  rocky  coast  of  Northern  Cahfornia  is  dangerous  in  stormy  weather. 
A  boat  moored  off  shore  is  being  loaded  by  cable. 


98  New  Progressive  Geographies 

Why  are  the  rivers  of  the  Coast  Ranges  small  in  summer  com- 
pared with  those  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas? 

The  rivers  of  the  Sierras  rise  in  regions  so  high  and  cold  that 
the  clouds  drop  snow  instead  of  rain.  The  snow  melts  slowly  and 
feeds  the  springs  and  rivulets  far  into  the  summer. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  peaks,  the  Coast  Ranges  rise 
scarcely  one-third  as  far  into  the  sky  as  do  the  Sierras  and  more 
rain  than  snow  falls  on  them. 

Because  of  this  there  are  floods  in  the  rivers  of  the  Coast  Ranges 
during  the  winter  or  rainy  season,  while  in  summer  they  become 
very  low.  In  the  Southern  Coast  Ranges  the  beds  of  the  streams 
are  dry  for  months  at  a  time. 

What  influence  has  the  distribution  of  the  rainfall  and  forests 
had  on  the  settlement  of  the  Coast  Ranges? 

The  valleys  of  the  North  Coast  Ranges  that  lie  near  the  ocean 
receive  so  heavy  a  rainfall  that  they  bear  a  heavy  forest,  mostly 
of  redwood  trees.  These  forest  lands  cannot  be  settled  and  culti- 
vated until  the  lumbermen  have  removed  the  trees. 

The  interior  valleys  of  the  Southern  Coast  Ranges  are  so  dry 
that  crops  cannot  always  be  depended  upon,  and  as  a  result  are 
thinly   settled. 

We  learn  then  that  while  too  much  rain,  with  the  heavy  forests 
that  have  resulted  from  it,  has  hindered  settlement  in  one  part,  too 
little  rain  has  had  a  similar  effect  in  another. 

Besides  these  climatic  influences,  many  valleys  are  far  from 
any  market  and  without  water  or  rail  transportation  so  that  ordi- 
nary farming  cannot  be  carried  on.  The  people  who  have  settled 
in  these  valleys  must  depend  upon  raising  stock,  which  can  be 
driven  to  market. 
For  what  natural  products   are   Coast  Ranges  most  widely 

known  ? 

We  might  mention  two  products  which  are  known  all  over  our 
country. 

The  giant  redwood  trees  (Sequoia  sempervirens)  are  among  the 
wonders  of  our  state.  These  trees  grow  to  such  great  size  and  so 
close  together  that  the  sun  can  hardly  penetrate  their  forests.  They 
are  very  valuable  for  lumber,  which  is  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the 

world. 

The  second  important  natural  product  is  a  mnieral.  It  is  known 
as  quicksilver  and  is  found  in  but  a  few  places  in  our  country  out- 
side of  the  Coast  Ranges.  We  might  mention  also  petroleum  or  oil 
as  another  important  natural  product  of  this  region. 

The   Northern   Coast   Ranges— The   Home   of  the   Giant 

Redwoods. 

Introduction. 

The  Northern  Coast  Ranges  form  a  sea  of  mountains  between 


California 


99 


which  are  innumerable  caiions  and  many  small  valleys.  The  cen- 
tral part  is  drained  by  Eel  River,  the  northern  part  by  the  Trinity 
River,  the  southern  part  by  Russian  River  and  other  smaller  streams. 

Along  most  of  the  coast  is  a  strip  of  low  land,  generally  quite 
narrow  and  in  places  cut  off  by  mountains,  which  here  and  there 
rise  directly  from  the  ocean.  Upon  this  coastal  plain  are  situated 
most  of  the  inhabitants.  The  interior,  except  that  part  sloping  to- 
ward San  Francisco  Bay  and  Clear  Lake,  is  thinly  settled. 

The  watershed  as  well  as  the  crest  of  the  mountains  lies  close 
to  their  eastern  edge,  overlooking  the  Sacramento  Valley.  Here  the 
Yallo  Bally  peaks  rise  over  8000  feet. 

Why   has    the   settlement   and    growth   of    this    region    been 
so  slow? 

A.  The  rocky  coast  line  made  access  by  sea  difficult:  There 
is  but  one  safe  harbor  on  the  whole  coast  of  Northern  California 
and  that  is  Humboldt  Bay.  This  was  formed  by  the  waves  throw- 
ing up  a  barrier  beach  across  a  bend  in  the  shore  at  the  last  sink- 
ing of  the  land.  The  bay  is  entered  across  a  bar  over  which  the 
water  is  deep  enough  for  large-sized  coasting  vessels. 

Nearly  all  the  coast  line  of  Northern  California  is  formed  of 
jagged  cliffs,  against  which  the  waves  beat  continually.  Except  dur- 
ing quiet  summer  weather,  landing  along  this  coast  is  quite  uncertain, 


Sawmill  and  log  boom  in  a  little  cove   on  the   Mendocino   coast.     The   cove 

was  made  by  the  sinking  of  the  land  and  the  flooding  of  the 

mouth  of  a  small  river. 


ioo 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


so  that  the  settlement  and  growth  of  industries  have  been  greatly 
hindered. 

At  many  points  supplies  are  taken  ashore  and  produce  shipped 
out  in  the  following  manner:  When  the  water  is  quiet  a  ship  comes 
as  close  to  the  clifit's  as  it  can  and  anchors.  A  cable,  which  has  pre- 
viously been  stretched  from  the  shore  to  a  buoy  near  by,  is  then 
made  use  of  to  transfer  goods  to  and  from  the  top  of  the  cliff. 

B.  The  network  of  mountains  has  made  the  building  of  roads 
and  railroads  difficult:  It  was  not  until  1914  that  the  first  railroad 
connecting  Eureka  with  San  Francisco  was  finished.  Up  to  this 
time  the  city  of  Eureka  could  be  reached  only  by  a  long  and  tire- 
some stage  ride  from  the  head  of  Russian  River  Valley  down  through 
the  basin  of  Eel  River,  or  by  coasting  vessel  upon  the  frequently 
rough  waters  of  the  Pacific. 

A  wagon  road  extends  up  the  coast  from  Eureka  to  Crescent 
City  and  thence  into  Oregon,  and  another  has  just  been  built  over 
a  difficult  route  across  the  mountains  to  Redding  in  the  Sacra- 
mento Valley. 

Why  were  the  first  settlements  made  on  the  Coast? 

Although  landing  was  often  difficult  upon  this  rocky  coast,  yet 
it  was  settled  before  the  interior  because  of  two  reasons.  In  the 
first  place,  the  journey  over  the  mountains  was  long  and  difficult ; 
and  in  the  second  place,  the  making  of  lumber  soon  became  the 
leading  industry. 

The  redwood  forests  form  a  belt  a  few  miles  back  from  the 
shore,  where  they  are  protected  from  the  harsh  ocean  winds.  Short 
railroads  were  built,  and  the  logs  were  carried  to  the  coast,  where 
mills  were  erected.  The  lumber  was  loaded  on  vessels  in  the  way 
which  has  already  been  described. 


Point  Arena  lighthouse  on  the  flat  coastal  plain. 


California 


101 


The  coastal  plain  forms  a  strip  of  almost  level  land  which  is 
in  places  crowded  out  entirely  by  the  mountains,  while  in  other 
places  it  has  a  width  of  several  miles.  This  is  often  an  open,  grassy 
country,  and  because  of  the  advantages  for  dairying  offered  by  the 
cool  air  and  excellent  grass  it  soon  became  one  of  the  important 
dairying  sections  of  the  state.  The  butter  and  cheese  produced  are 
shipped  to  San  Francisco  by  boat. 

How  does  the  interior  differ  from  the  Coast,  and  what  de- 
termined its  settlement? 

We  will  start  at  Eureka  and  take  a  journey  eastward  through 
the  basin  of  Eel  River.  We  cross  first  a  fertile  plain  miles  in  width 
once  covered  with  heavy  redwood  forests.  Patches  of  forest  still 
remain  and  between  them  appear  meadow  lands  stocked  with  dairy 
cattle.  For  a  long  distance  the  valley  of  Eel  River  appears  heavily 
timbered,  with  here  and  there  cleared  land.  Fruit  orchards  appear 
and  among  them  apple  trees  seem  to  take  the  lead. 

After  a  time  the  redwoods  disappear,  for  the  air  becomes  too 
dry  for  them.  Spruce,  madrone,  laurel  and  oak  take  their  place. 
Beautiful  groves  of  these  trees  are  scattered  over  the  plateau-like 
uplands,  while  wild  grasses  cover  the  open  spaces. 

Here  the  climate  is  drier  and  more  agreeable  than  it  is  upon 
the  coast,  but  we  seldom  see  a  farm  house  or  cultivated  land,  since 
the  region  is  too  inaccessible.  There  is  no  dairying  in  these  moun- 
tains because  of  the  distance  to  market,  but  beef  cattle  and  sheep 
are  to  be  seen  everywhere. 

Finally,  after  passing  through  pine  forests,  we  reach  the  sum- 
mit, from  which  we  look  down  a  short,  steep  slope  into  the  Sacra- 
mento Valley.  The  mountains  are  here  so  high  that  arctic  vege- 
tation abounds.     There  are  snowbanks  upon  the  shady  slopes. 


One  of  the  great  sawmills  and  lumber  yards  at  Eureka. 


102 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


Why  are  the  rivers  of  this  region  of  less  use  than  those  of 
the  Sierras? 

The  rivers  of  the  Sierras  flow  rapidly  down  through  deep  can- 
yons. The  rivers  of  the  Coast  Ranges  flow  much  more  gently 
throughout  the  most  of  their  course  to  the  ocean  and  afford  little 
water  power.  The  Sierra  streams  are  needed  for  irrigation  and  the 
snowbanks  keep  them  full  far  into  the  summer.  In  the  North  Coast 
Ranges  there  is  little  need  for  irrigation  because  of  the  heavy  rain- 
fall and  the  streams  become  very  low  in  summer  because  it  is  only 
in  the  higher  parts  of  these  mountains  that  much  snow  falls. 

In  what  way  is  the  redwood  tree  very  interesting? 

The  redwoods  of  the  Coast  Ranges  and  the  "Big  Trees"  of  the 
Sierras  are  among  the  most  wonderful  trees  in  the  world  and  are 
found  only  in  California.  Once  they  spread  over  a  wide  area,  but 
now  their  only  living  relative  is  found  in  Japan. 

The  redwoods  do  not  grow  as  large  as  the  "big  trees,"  nor  do 
they  live  as  long,  .but  some  are  fully  twenty  feet  in  diameter  and 
reach  an  age  of  2000  years.  The  scientific  name  of  the  redwood 
is  Sequoia  sempervirens.  The  last  word  of  the  name  means  always 
alive.  It  is  given  to  the  tree  because  it  is  so  difficult  to  kill,  for 
sprouts  always  come  up  around  the  stump  when  the  tree  is  cut. 

It  is  a  serious  mistake  to  kill  the  stumps  and  clear  those  slopes 
which  are  not  needed  for  farming,  for  the  new  shoots  grow  rapidly 


Schooners  loading  lumber  at  Eureka. 


California  103 

and  soon  make  trees  large  enough  to  cut.  If  we  do  not  take  care 
there  will  be  no  redwood  lumber  in  the  future  and  the  tree  will 
become  extinct  except  in  the  parks  where  it  has  been  protected. 

What  led  the  Russians  to  abandon  their  settlement  at  Fort 
Ross? 

The  Russians,  who  once  had  fur-trading  stations  on  the  Alaska 
Coast,  wished  to  establish  a  colony  far  to  the  south,  where  they 
could  raise  cattle  and  grow  fresh  vegetables.  As  the  Spanish  al- 
ready had  possession  of  San  Francisco  Bay,  the  Russians,  in  1812, 
landed  at  a  little  cove  a  few  miles  north  of  the  mouth  of  Russian 
River  and  built  a  fort.  At  this  place  there  is  a  strip  of  land  about 
a  mile  wide,  back  of  which  rises  range  upon  range  of  mountains 
for  fifty  miles. 

If  there  had  been  a  river  coming  to  the  ocean  at  Fort  Ross, 
with  valleys  opening  back  through  the  mountains,  thus  giving  the 
Russians  an  opportunity  to  enlarge  their  settlement,  the  history 
of  Northern  California  would  probably  have  been  very  different. 

Because  the  lay  of  the  land  was  unfavorable,  they  abandoned 
the  post  after  thirty  years,  and  sold  their  guns  and  equipment  to 
Captain  Sutter,  who  removed  everything  to  his  fort  in  the  Sacra- 
mento Valley. 

How  is  it  that  Eureka  has  become  the  most  important  city 
on  the  Northern  Coast? 

We  have  learned  that  for  many  years  this  region  was  accessible 
only  from  the  ocean.  We  have  also  learned  that  one  of  the  first 
industries  was  lumbering  and  that  the  valuable  forests  were  near 
the  coast. 

There  is  but  one  safe  harbor  upon  all  the  northern  coast,  and 
that  is  Humboldt  Bay.  Here  the  level  coastal  plain  is  wide  and 
there  are  many  miles  of  fertile  land  of  the  highest  value  for  dairy- 
ing. Here  also  the  redwood  forests  are  the  most  extensive  and 
easiest  to  get  at. 

What  is  more  natural,  then,  than  that  upon  Humboldt  Bay, 
where  ships  can  anchor  in  safety  and  take  and  bring  cargoes,  should 
grow  up  the  chief  city  of  this  northern  region?  Eureka  is  now  con- 
nected with  San  Francisco  by  a  railroad  which  will  some  day  be 
extended  northward  into  Oregon.  The  city  can  now  be  reached 
easily  and  has  an  outlet  by  which  produce  can  be  sent  to  market 
much   more   quickly. 

Does  "the  lay  of  the  land"  lead  us  to  look  for  any  other  cities 
in  this  region? 

At  the  head  of  the  Russian  River  Valley  is  the  city  of  Ukiah, 
which,  because  it  was  for  a  long  time  the  end  of  the  railroad,  be- 
came an  important  distributing  point  for  all  the  Northern  Coast 
Ranges.     In  all  directions  are  picturesque  valleys  in  which  all  sorts 


104 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


of   fruit   do   well,   while   on    the   mountain   slopes   cattle   and "  sheep 
are  pastured. 

Many  people  live  along  the  coast  west  of  Ukiah,  some  of  whom 
are  engaged  in  dairying  and  stock  raising  and  some  in  lumbering. 
Towns  have  grown  up  at  points  where  the  mills  have  been  built 
and  it  is  easiest  to  land  supplies  from  the  coasting  vessels.  The 
most  important  of  these  are  Pt.  Arena,  Mendocino  City  and  Fort 
Bragg. 

The  Clear  Lake  District:     A  Pleasant  Land  of  Mineral  Springs 
and  Health  Resorts. 

Introduction. 

The  region  which  we  are  now  going  to  study  is  a  part  of  the 
Northern  Coast  Ranges,  but  quite  different  in  many  ways  from  that 

part    which    we    have    just 
discussed. 

In  the  center  of  the  dis- 
trict lies  Clear  Lake,  the 
largest  body  of  water  in  the 
Coast  Ranges  and  one  of 
the  largest  in  California. 
All  about  it  are  picturesque 
mountains,  of  which  the 
highest  is  Konocti,  or  Un- 
cle Sam,  rising  over  4000 
feet.  Far  to  the  south  is 
St.  Helena,  another  volcanic 
peak  of  about  the  same 
height. 

The  basin  of  Clear  Lake 
is    interesting,   not   only   for 
its    beauty    and    its    mineral 
springs,  but  also  because   it 
has  really  two  outlets.    Long- 
ago    the    lake    emptied    into 
Russian    River    by    way    of 
the    Blue    Lakes.      Now    its 
outlet  is  Cache  Creek,  which 
flows    east    into    the    Sacra- 
mento River.     We  might  say 
that  the  lake,  which  has  an 
elevation  of  1300  feet,  is  on 
the    summit    of    the    Coast 
Ranges  and  looks  both  ways. 
The  agreeable  climate,  the  pretty  valleys,  the  extinct  volcanoes 
and  the  mineral  springs  with  their  health-giving  waters,  make  this 
region  very  interesting  and   it  attracts   thousands  of   visitors   every 
summer. 


Eel  River  at  low  water. 


California  105 

Why  do  we  value  mineral  springs  so  highly? 

Mineral  substances  which  have  great  value  as  medicine  are 
found  dissolved  in  the  waters  of  many  springs  in  California.  Such 
springs  are  called  mineral  springs.  In  the  Eastern  States  and  in 
Europe  are  many  such  springs  so  renowned  for  their  curative  prop- 
erties when  used  either  for  bathing  or  drinking  that  people  travel 
thousands  of  miles  to  visit  them. 

There  are  hundreds  of  springs  of  many  different  sorts  in  the 
Clear  Lake  region,  some  being  hot  and  some  cold.  Among  them 
are  soda  springs  which  contain  the  same  gas  made  in  soda  foun- 
tains. One  large  spring  of  this  kind  boils  up  in  Soda  Bay  in  Clear 
Lake. 

Why  are  mineral  springs  so  abundant  in  this  region? 

If  you  will  place  salts  of  different  kinds  in  cold  water  and  then 
in  hot  water  you  will  find  that  they  will  dissolve  much  easier  in 
the  hot  water.  This  helps  us  to  understand  the  origin  of  mineral 
springs.  Although  only  a  few  of  them  are  hot  or  boiling  when 
they  issue  from  the  ground,  we  are  sure  that  they  all  must  have 
been  so  at  some  point  deep  in  the  earth  from  whence  the  waters 
came. 

The  extinct  volcanoes  south  of  Clear  Lake  tell  us  why  there 
are  mineral  springs  in  this  region.  The  molten  rock  from  which 
volcanoes  and  lavas  are  made  comes  from  deep  in  the  earth  where 
it  is  very  hot. 

When  water,  which  is  everywhere  creeping  downward  through 
rock  crevices,  reaches  these  hot  or  molten  rocks  in  the  earth,  it 
also  becomes  very  hot  and  is  often  turned  to  steam.  Little  by  little 
it  dissolves  some  of  the  minerals  contained  in  the  rocks  and  carries 
them  along  with  it.  In  some  places  the  steam  pushes  the  hot  water 
back  toward  the  surface,  thus  giving  rise  to  mineral  springs. 

What  is  the  story  of  the  Petrified  Forest? 

In  the  mountains  at  the  head  of  Napa  Valley  are  some  won- 
derful hot  springs  and  many  broken  trunks  of  trees  that  have  been 
turned  to  stone.  Long  ago  there  was  a  forest  growing  there.  The 
water  of  the  springs  contained  silica,  the  substance  of  which  quartz 
is  composed,  and  when  the  trees  fell  the  water  flowed  over  them 
and  caused  them  to  turn  to  stone,  or  petrify,  as  we  commonly  say. 

Is  the  quicksilver  of  this  region  also  the  result  of  volcanic 
action  ? 

The  silvery  liquid  of  our  thermometers  is  quicksilver.  Nature 
put  it  in  the  rocks  in  the  form  of  a  red  ore  which  we  have  to  roast 
before  we  can  get  the  silvery  metal. 

At  the  eastern  end  of  Clear  Lake,  opposite  Uncle  Sam  Mount, 
is  the  noted  Sulphur  Bank  Mine,  where  there  are  valuable  deposits 
of  quicksilver  and  sulphur.  Other  mines  of  these  minerals  and  one 
of  gold  are  found   in  various   parts  of  this  volcanic  district. 


106 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


In  one  mine  the  workmen  opened  a  crevice  through  which 
boiling  water  was  flowing  and  the  steam  and  sulphurous  vapors 
almost  suffocated  them.  The  sides  of  the  hollows  in  the  rocks  were 
found  to  be  lined  with  sparkling  crystals  of  sulphur  and  other 
minerals. 

The  quicksilver,  sulphur  and  gold  of  the  Clear  Lake  region  were 
all  deposited  from  hot  or  boiling  springs. 

Why   is    this    region   thinly   settled,    notwithstanding   its    at- 
tractions ? 

The  climate  is  suited  to  growing  many  kinds  of  fruits,  includ- 
ing pears,  apples  and  grapes.  Cattle  and  sheep  are  raised  on  the 
mountain  slopes  that  are  too  steep  for  cultivation. 

The  region  is  thinly  settled,  partly  because  much  of  it  is  moun- 
tainous and  partly  because  no  railroad  has  yet  been  built  into  it. 
The  marketing  of  produce  is   difficult  and  expensive. 

The  Southern  Coast  Ranges:     Once  the  Seat  of  Many  Spanish  Mis- 
sions and  Vast   Ranches   over   Which  Wandered    Herds   of 
Half  -  Wild  Cattle  —  Now  Dotted  with  Comfortable 
Homes,  Orchards  and  Grain  Fields,  and  Noted 
for  Valuable  Deposits  of  Petroleum. 
Introduction. 

We  are  now  going  to  take  up  that  part  of  the  Coast  Ranges 
lying  far  to  the  south.  The  Northern  Coast  Ranges,  as  we  have 
learned,  consist  of  a  confused  sea  of  mountains.  In  the  south  there 
are  distinct  ranges  which  extend  in  a  regular  northwest  and  south- 
east direction  with  long,  open  valleys  between  them. 

In  the  north  it  is  very  wet  near  the  coast,  so  that  there  are 
dense  forests.  In  the  south  there  is  also  a  heavy  rainfall  on  the 
Santa  Lucia  and  other  of  the  higher  ranges,  but  the   surface  is  so 


The  Lower  Salinas  River  showing  the  shallow  channel  and  the  broad 
valley  through  which  it  flows. 


California 


107 


rugged  that  there  are  few  forests  valuable  for  lumber.     In  the  inte- 
rior valleys  the  climate  is  too  dry  for  forests. 

In  the  Northern  Coast  Ranges  the  highest  land  is  near  the  east- 
ern edge,  while  in  the  south  the  highest  land  is  found  in  the  Santa 
Lucia  Range,  which  rises  very  boldly  from  the  ocean,  reaching  at 
one  point  an  elevation  of  about  6000  feet. 

Why  is  it  that  a  large  part  of  the  Southern  Coast  Ranges  is 
thinly  settled? 

1.  Is  the  land  too  rough  and  mountainous  for  many  people  to 
dwell  there?  This  cannot  be  the  reason,  for  there  are  many  broad 
valleys  with  thousands  of  acres  of  fertile  land  that  might  support 
a  large  population. 

2.  Is  it  because  the  land  is  poor  and  covered  with  timber  and 
brush?  No,  for,  on  the  contrary,  nearly  all  the  soil  is  good,  and 
the  slopes  which  are  adapted  to  farming  are  covered  with  wild 
grasses.  Neither  do  the  beautiful  oaks  which  dot  the  valleys  near 
the  coast  interfere  with  the  cultivation  of  the  soil. 

3.  Is  it  because  of  the  difficulty  of  getting  produce  to  market? 
It  is  not  difficult  to  get  produce  to  market  from  this  region,  be- 
cause of  the  long,  narrow  valleys  extending  northwest  and  south- 
east throughout  its  whole  length,  some  of  which  opened  toward  San 


Artichoke  fields  in  San  Mateo  County.     The  most  important  district  for 
this  vegetable  in  California. 


108  New  Progressive  Geographies 

Francisco  and  others  toward  the  ocean.  The  building  of  wagon 
roads  and  the  hauling  of  freight  through  such  valleys  is  easy.  Then, 
in  addition,  most  of  the  large  valleys  near  the  coast  can  ship  pro- 
duce by  boat.  Because  the  ocean  is  much  less  stormy  here  than 
farther  north,  wharves  have  been  built  where  there  is  some  pro- 
tection from  the  waves,  and  during  a  larger  part  of  the  year  boats 
load  and  unload  from  them  without  trouble. 

4.  The  real  reason  for  the  backward  development  of  the  south- 
ern coast  lies  in  the  small  rainfall  and  almost  desert  climate  of  the 
interior  valleys :  We  have  already  learned  that  w'here  the  rainfall 
is  too  light  to  grow  crops  that  a  few  people  can  nevertheless  make  a 
living  by  raising  cattle.  They  lack  many  comforts  and  advantages, 
for  their  homes  must  be  far  apart,  since  it  takes  thousands  of  acres 
to  support  a  herd  of  cattle  in  such  a  region. 

How  does  the  rainfall  affect  the  distribution  of  the  people  > 

The  driest  part  of  the  Southern  Coast  Ranges  is  the  Carrisa 
Plain,  which  lies  farthest  from  the  ocean  and  is  almost  uninhab- 
ited. This  plain  is  very  interesting  because  it  is  a  true  basin  with 
a  rim  of  high  land  all  about  it,  enclosing  a  salt  marsh  in  the  center. 
It  has  never  rained  much  in  this  region,  or  the  basin  would  have 
been  turned  into  a  lake  and  a  stream  would  have  flowed  away  tc 
the  ocean. 

As  we  go  toward  the  coast  we  find  the  rainfall  increasing  and 
with  it  the  number  of  settlers.  The  main  river  valleys  which  lead 
down  to  the  ocean  contain  more  people  than  the  immediate  coast, 
for  here  between  the  dry  interior  and  the  damp,  cool  lands  next  to 
the  ocean  we  find  the  most  agreeable  climate,  adapted  to  the  grow- 
ing of  a  great  variety  of  products. 

How  does  the  rainfall  affect  the  occupations  of  the  people? 

Cattle  raising  was  once  the  only  occupation,  because  there  was 
no  market  for  other  products.  Now  the  raising  of  beef  cattle  is 
largely  confined  to  the  drier  and  more  mountainous  parts  of  the 
Southern  Coast  Ranges. 

Wheat  fields  have  taken  the  place  of  herds  of  cattle  in  the  vast 
rolling  hills  and  valleys  of  the  upper  Salinas  River  Basin,  in  the 
Santa  Ynez  and  other  valleys,  where  irrigation  has  not  yet  been 
developed,  and  there  is  scarcely  rain  enough  for  diversified  farm- 
ing and  fruit  grow'ing. 

It  is  in  the  large  valleys  lying  near  the  coast  where  there  is 
abundant  rain,  and  yet  protection  from  the  fogs,  that  we  find  a  cli- 
mate which  is  not  only  very  agreeable  but  adapted  to  the  growing 
of  a  great  variety  of  products.  Here,  then,  we  find  the  densest  pop- 
ulation and  most  of  the  towns. 

The  San  Benito,  San  Juan,  Pajaro,  Upper  Salinas,  San  Luis, 
Santa  Maria  and  Lompoc  Valleys  produce  large  quantities  of  pears, 
peaches,  prunes  and  apples. 

In  the  Pajaro  Valley  are  produced  great  quantities  of  berries, 
which  are  largely  disposed  of  in  the  San  Francisco  markets.     Wat- 


California 


109 


sonville  is  noted  as  the  most  important  apple  growing  district  in 
California.  The  slopes  of  the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains  lying  back  of 
Watsonville  are  protected  from  the  cool  ocean  winds  and  are  espec- 
ially suited  to  apples. 

The  bottom  lands  of  the  valleys  between  the  fruit  belt  and  the 
ocean  have  a  climate  and  soil  adapted  to  the  production  of  sugar 
beets,  potatoes  and  beans.  Important  beet  sugar  factories  are  lo- 
cated in  the  SaHnas  and  Santa  Maria  Valleys. 

The  hills  and  smaller  valleys  bordering  the  coast  are  given  over 
largely  to  dairying.  The  abundant  grasses  of  this  region,  the  cool 
air  and  the  opportunity  to  ship  butter  to  San  Francisco  by  boat 
make  this  industry  profitable  here. 

Why  are  the  rivers  of  this  region  almost  dry  for  a  large  part 

of  the  year? 

The  three  most  important  rivers  are  the  San  Benito-Pajaro  in 
th(r  north,  the  Cuyama-Santa  Maria  in  the  south,  and  the  Salinas 
in  the  middle. 

The  Salinas  River  drains  an  area  as  large  as  the  basin  of  Eel 
River,  but  during  much  of  the  year  its  broad  bed  throughout  its 
middle  course  is  covered  with  drifting  sand.  The  Santa  Alaria  River 
is  equally  dry  in  summer.  After  the  heavy  rains  of  winter  there 
is  a  great  change.  Their  channels  become  filled  with  a  muddy  flood 
which  sometimes  does  serious  damage. 

We  judge,  then,  that  the  mountains  in  which  these  rivers  rise 
are  not  high  enough  to  receive  much  snow ;  and  that  when  the  rains 
come  the  water  gathers  quickly  and  runs  away  to  the  ocean.  We 
judge  also  that  the  summers  are  long  and  dry,  and  that  most  of 
the  water  which  the  streams  then  carry  is  evaporated  by  the  hot  sun. 


Bridge  across  the  Salinas  River  at  King  City.    The  channel  is  dry  in  summer, 


110  New  Progressive  Geographies 

In  what  way  can  the  interior  valleys  be  made  to  support  a 
larger  population? 

It  will  be  necessary,  as  in  many  other  parts  of  California,  to 
build  great  reservoirs  in  order  that  the  winter  floods  may  be  held 
for  summer  use,  and  extensive  canals  to  carry  it  to  the  parched 
lands.  The  climate  is  healthful  and  the  soil  fertile,  but  more  water 
is  needed  if  many  people  are  to  make  comfortable  homes  in  this 
region. 

What  has  the  lofty  Santa  Lucia  Range  to  do  with  the  dry 
interior? 

The  Santa  Lucia  is  the  boldest  and  loftiest  range  on  the  whole 
coast  of  California.  It  rises  so  abruptly  from  the  ocean  that  travel 
along  the  seaward   slope   is  possible  only  over  the   roughest   trails. 

These  mountains  form  such  a  great  storm  barrier  that  nearly 
all  the  region  to  the  eastward  across  the  whole  Coast  Range  region 
is  very  dry. 

Why  were  the  Missions  built  where  they  are? 

The  Padres  as  they  explored  the  Coast  Ranges  were  not  look- 
ing for  mission  sites  which  had  commercial  advantages.  They  sought, 
rather,  for  places  where  there  was  water,  fertile  land,  and  oppor- 
tunity to  teach  the  Indians. 

At  this  time  California  was  far  away  from  any  source  of  sup- 
plies. It  was  necessary  to  grow  in  the  mission  gardens  everything 
that  was  needed  in  the  new  settlements.  To  do  this  in  the  dry 
summers  of  this  region  water  for  irrigation  was  a  necessity. 

Did  towns  grow  up  about  all  the  Missions? 

The  sites  of  some  of  the  missions  proved  to  be  of  commercial 
importance  and  towns  grew  up  about  them. 

Santa  Barbara  is  on  the  ocean  near  a  partially  protected  bay 
and  in  the  midst  of  a  fertile  coastal  plain. 

San  Luis  Obispo  lies  in  the  midst  of  a  beautiful  valley  and  is 
a  natural  site  for  a  city.  A  few  miles  away  is  Port  Harford,  the 
shipping  point  for  this  district,  where  a  rocky  point  and  breakwater 
make  it  possible  for  boats  to  load  at  any  time. 

Monterey  is  situated  upon  the  great  Bay  of  Monterey  and  is 
well  protected  from  southerly  gales.  Until  San  Francisco  Bay  was 
discovered,  Monterey  was  the  best  known  bay  on  the  coast  of  Cali- 
fornia north  of  San  Diego. 

Santa  Cruz,  also  the  site  of  a  mission,  lies  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  Bay  of  Monterey.  It  has  now  become  a  noted  summer  re- 
sort. Back  of  it  lies  the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains,  whose  groves  of 
redwoods  form  attractive  resorts. 

San  Juan  Mission  occupies  a  fertile  valley  on  the  Camino  Real 
and  a  small  town  grew  up  about  it. 


California  111 

Santa  Clara,  which  is  favorably  situated  in  the  center  of  a  large 
valley  now  thickly  settled,  has  grown  into  a  city. 

How  is  it  that  Monterey  did  not  become  the  metropolis  of 
the  new  State  of  California? 

Monterey  lies  to  the  west  and  some  miles  away  from  the  Camino 
Real.  It  has  little  farming  land  about  it  and  is  the  shipping  point 
for  only  one  valley  (Carmelo).  It  has  none  of  the  advantages  of 
easy  communication  with  the  interior,  or  of  a  thoroughly  protected 
harbor  such  as  San  Francisco  has. 

Although  Monterey  was  one  of  the  two  most  important  Spanish 
towns,  and  the  leading  seaport  at  the  time  of  the  discovery  of  gold, 
it  was,  for  the  reasons  given  above,  very  little  afifected  by  the  rapid 
growth  of  California. 

Monterey  has,  however,  become  the  most  noted  summer  and 
winter  resort  upon  the  coast.  Adjoining  it  is  Pacific  Grove,  an  at- 
tractive camp  ground  in  a  forest  of  pines.  One  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful drives  in  California  extends  past  the  Point  of  Pines  along  the 
rocky  shore  to  Carmelo  Bay. 

What  attractive  scenery  do  we  find  in  the   Southern  Coast 

Ranges  ? 

The  grandest  natural  monument  upon  either  the  Atlantic  or 
Pacific  Coast  of  our  country  is  Morro  Rock,  a  few  miles  northwest 
of  San  Luis  Obispo.  This  is  a  precipitous  island  of  bare  rock,  ris- 
ing nearly  600  feet  above  the  water  of  the  ocean. 

The  rock  is  of  volcanic  origin  and  belongs  with  a  series  of 
"buttes"  which  extend  inland  to  the  town  of  San  Luis  Obispo. 
Though  they  are  not  more  than  1500  feet  high,  these  buttes  form 
very  picturesque  features  of  the  landscape. 

The  grandest  mountain  scenery  of  the  Southern  Coast  Ranges 
is  found  along  the  seaward  face  of  the  Santa  Lucia  Range.  Because 
of  the  steepness  of  the  slopes  and  the  depth  of  the  cafions,  few 
people  hve  in  these  mountains. 

Many  people  are  attracted  to  this  region  because  of  the  min- 
eral springs. 

The  Southern  Coast  Ranges  contain  numerous  hot  sulphur 
springs  which  are  highly  prized.  The  waters  of  some  of  these 
springs  are  used  for  bathing  and  of  others  for  drinking.  Most 
noted  are  the  hot  springs  and  mud  baths  at  Paso  Robles.  These 
springs  are  due,  not  to  volcanic  action,  as  are  those  in  the  north, 
but  to  chemical  changes  deep  in  the  earth.  That  chemical  changes 
produce  heat  is  shown  when  lime  is  being  slaked  in  the  process  of 
making  plaster. 

What  can  we  learn  of  the  story  of  this  region  from  the  great 
oyster  shells  on  the  mountains? 
Near    Santa    Margarita,    and    in    many    other    places,    there    are 


112 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


beds    of    many    kinds   of   ocean    shells,    among    which    are    those    of 
giant  oysters. 

These  shells  tell  us  that  long  ago  the  Coast  Ranges  were  be- 
neath the  ocean  with  only  islands  sticking  up  above  the  water.  In 
the  shallows  about  the  shores  of  the  islands  the  oysters  once  lived. 
Then  the  ocean  bottom  sank  and  they  were  buried  in  sand.  After 
long  ages  and  many  earthquakes  the  sea  bottom  was  raised  to  form 
the  mountains  w^hich  we  have  been  studying.  The  rains  washed  the 
sands  away  and  the  oyster  shells  were  exposed. 

What  do  the  caves  in  the  ocean  clifTs  tell  us? 

Near  Port  Harford  there  are  caves  in  the  ocean  clififs  above  the 
present  level  of  the  water.  In  some  of  them  there  are  water-worn 
pebbles.  The  caves  teach  us  that  the  level  of  the  land  is  changing, 
for  they  were  made  when  it  was  not  so  high  as  it  is  now. 

The  tidal  lagoons  along  the  Coast  tell  another  story. 

At  Morro  Bay  and  Port  Harford  there  are  tidal  lagoons  reach- 
ing back  into  the  land.  These  occupy  partly  submerged  valleys 
and  were  made  by  a  sinking  of  the  land  in  the  same  manner  as 
was  San  Francisco  Bay.  If  the  land  had  sunk  farther  many  land- 
locked bays  would  have  been  formed  upon  the  coast. 

The  Channel  Islands. 

The  Channel  Islands,  lying  ofif  the  coast  of  Santa  Barbara,  are, 
as  we  have  already  learned,  the  remnants  of  a  submerged  mountain 
range  which  was  once  a  part  of  the  mainland. 


Sand  dunes  near  San  Francisco,  showing  how  vegetation  helps  to 
hold  the  soil  from  drifting. 


California  113 

Because  most  of  the  surface  of  the  islands  is  rough  with  little 
good  soil,  and  because  water  is  very  scarce,  they  have  remained 
uninhabited,  and  are  used  mainly  as  pastures  for  sheep. 

When  the  whites  first  came,  the  islands  were  peopled  with 
many  Indians,  who  lived  mainly  upon  fish  and  shell  fish,  and  were 
in  some  ways  superior  to  the  Indians  upon  the  mainland. 

Why  is  there  so  nutch  oil  in  the  Coast  Ranges  and  so  little 
coal? 

The  reason  is  that  while  oil  or  petroleum  comes  from  rocks 
which  were  formed  in  the  deep  ocean,  coal  is  formed  from  the 
vegetation  which  once  collected  in  marshes  on  the  land. 

The  ocean  which,  long  ago,  covered  the  region  of  the  Coast 
Ranges  was  filled  with  little  organisms  so  small  as  to  be_  hardly 
visible.  As  these  organisms  died  their  bodies  accumulated  in  beds 
thousands  of  feet  thick.  Then  the  ocean  currents  washed  mud  and 
sand  over  them  and  buried  them  deeply.  After  a  time  the  beds 
containing  the  bodies  were  made  very  warm  and  began  to  give  ofif 
oil  and  gas  which  collected  in  sandy  layers. 

The  Santa  Maria  oil  field  in  Western  Santa  Barbara  County  is 
one  of  the  most  valuable  in  California.  To  reach  the  oil  some  of 
the  wells  have  been  drilled  4000  feet  into  the  earth. 

In  what  different  conditions  is  the  oil  fotmd? 

The  gas  which  comes  from  oil  wells  has  great  value  as  fuel  for 
steam  engines,  for  running  gas  engines  and  for  fuel.  This  gas  con- 
tains the  more  volatile  parts  of  the  oil,  such  as  gasoline.  _ 

The  oil  which  forms  what  is  known  as  "tar  springs"  is  dark  and 
thick.  When  oil  becomes  dried  out  to  such  a  degree  that  itis  hard 
at  ordinary  temperatures,  it  is  called  asphaltum.  It  occurs  in  veins 
in  the  earth  and  is  also  produced  in  the  refining  of  oils. 

Near  San  Luis  Obispo  there  are  great  beds  of  what  is  known 
as  bituminous  rock.  This  rock  is  formed  by  oil  creeping  into  por- 
ous sand  rocks.  Bituminous  rock  is  quarried  and  used  very  widely 
as  a  pavement  for  city  streets. 

What  other  minerals  are  fonnd  in  the  Southern  Coast  Ranges  ? 
Valuable  mines  of  quicksilver  are  worked  at  New  Indria  in  San 
Benito  County  and  at  New  Almaden  in  Santa  Clara  County.  Coal 
is  mined  in  the  mountains  west  of  Coalinga,  and  a  little  gold  is 
found  in  the  Santa  Lucia  Range. 

San  Francisco  Bay  and  the  Region  About:     A   Magnificent   Land- 

Locked  Bay,  the  Gateway  to  California,   with  Arms 

Reaching  Out  Into  Fertile  Valleys  Set 

Among  Picturesque  Mountains. 

Introduction. 

San  Francisco  with  its  connecting  bays  occupies  what  was  once 
a  group  of  valleys  in  the  Coast  Ranges  through  which  flowed  the 
Sacramento  River. 


114  New  Progressive  Geographies     . 

San  Francisco  Bay  is  more  than  fifty  miles  long  from  north 
to  south  and  in  places  is  twelve  miles  mide.  A  part  of  the  shore 
is  flat  and  marshy.  In  other  places  steep  hills  rise  in  a  picturesque 
manner  from  the  shore,  while  here  and  there  are  rocky  islands. 

The  largest  ships  can  pass  through  the  Golden  Gate  into  the 
bay,  while  the  different  arms  permit  the  smaller  river  boats  to  reach 
the  great  interior  valleys. 

What  interesting  thing  about  the  history  of  San  Francisco 
Bay  can  we  learn  from  the  Indian  shell  mounds? 

The  Indian  mounds  are  made  up  of  refuse  shells  and  bones 
where  the  Indians  used  to  gather  for  their  feasts.  The  bottoms  of 
two  of  these,  one  in  Shell  Mound  Park  and  the  other  known  as  the 
Ellis  Mound  near  Richmond,  are  about  thirteen  feet  below  high  tide. 

This  interesting  fact  teaches  us  that  since  the  Indians  first  came 
here  the  land  about  San  Francisco  Bay  has  sunken.  Long  ago  the 
land  stood  so  much  higher  that  there  was  no  bay  at  all,  and  the 
Sacramento  River  flowed  through  fertile  valleys  out  to  sea.  Its 
mouth  was  then  outside  the  Farallone  Islands,  for  the  water  between 
them  and  the  shore  is  now  so  shallow  that  if  the  land  should  rise 
200  feet  they  would  become  a  part  of  the  mainland. 

How  has  the  sinking  of  the  land  made  San  Francisco  Bay 

the  Gateway  to  California? 

We  have  already  learned  that  the  Sacramento  is  the  largest 
river  wholly  in  California  and  that  it  drains  all  the  central  part. 
When  the  land  sank  the  sea  came  in  through  the  Golden  Gate  and 
flooded  the  river  valley  entirely  across  the  Coast  Ranges  and  into 
the  Great  Valley  so  that  the  tide  is  now  felt  as  far  as  Sacramento 
and  Stockton. 

The  sea  also  flooded  the  adjoining  valleys  of  the  Coast  Ranges 
so  that  boats  can  go  to  Petaluma,  to  Napa,  and  almost  to  San  Jose. 
Thus  the  sinking  of  the  land  opened  a  gate  from  the  ocean  through 
the  coast  mountains  into  the  heart  of  California,  making  nearly  half 
of  the  state  easily  accessible  to  trade  and  commerce. 

Why  was  it  that  this  great  bay  remained  so  long  undiscovered  ? 
If  you  should  sail  along  the  coast  on  some  foggy  day  when  the 
shore  was  indistinct,  it  would  be  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to 
go  past  San  Francisco  Bay  and  not  see  its  narrow  entrance.  This 
is  probably  the  reason  why  Drake  in  1579,  and  Vizcaino  in  1602, 
sailed  past  the  Golden  Gate  and  anchored  in  a  little  bay  a  few  miles 
to  the  northwest,  which  is  now  known  as  Drake's  Bay. 

How  is  it  that  the  Strait  of  Carquinez,  although  an  obstacle 
to  land  travel,  is  yet  of  great  importance  commercially? 
The  Strait  of  Carquinez,  Suisun  Bay,  and  the  marshes  to  the 

east  are   a  serious  barrier  to   rail   and  wagon   roads.     One   of  the 

largest  ferry  boats  in  the  world  is  used  to  carry  trains  across  this 

strait  between   Benicia  and   Port  Costa. 


California 


115 


The  strait  is  of  great  importance  because  the  large  sea-going 
ships  can  come  up  through  the  bay  as  far  as  this  point  and  receive 
their  cargoes  direct  from  the  vast  grainfields  of  the  Great  Valley. 
Here  lumber  is  brought  from  the  coast  ports  for  trans-shipment  to 
the  interior.  Here  grain  is  made  into  flour  to  be  shipped  abroad. 
Here  are  sugar  refineries  and  smelters. 

No  other  place  in  all  California  is  destined  to  become  of  so 
great  importance  commercially  because  of  the  favorable  situation 
for  interchange  of  foreign  and  home  products  and  for  manufac- 
turing. 

How  can  we  account  for  the  many  different  sorts  of  climate 

within  a  few  miles  of  San  Francisco? 

The  gap  in  the  mountains  through  which  the  Sacramento  River 
reaches  the  ocean  permits  its  cool  winds  to  reach  far  inland.  Dur- 
ing the  long  days  of  summer  the  air  of  the  Great  Valley  becomes 
very  hot.  The  heat  makes  it  so  much  lighter  that  the  cool  heavy 
sea  air  rushes  in  and  takes  its  place.  This  creates  a  strong  wind 
which  in  San  Francisco  and  on  the  bay  is  so  sharp  that  an  overcoat 
is  sometimes  comfortable  in  the  middle  of  summer.  This  wind  is 
like  the  draught  in  a  great  fireplace. 

Although  the  summer  climate  of  San  Francisco  and  the  adjoin- 
ing bay  region  is  sometimes  unpleasantly  cool,  it  is  nevertheless 
healthful  and  invigorating.  Most  fruits  and  vegetables  thrive  in  the 
damp  air,  but  some  require  more  sunshine  and  warmth. 


San  Francisco  Bay  and  Mt.  Tamalpais  from  the  Berkeley  Hills.     This  bay 
was  formed  by  a  sinking  of  the  land. 


116 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


We  will  now  take  a  train  from  San  Francisco  and  go  either 
south  behind  the  protecting  ridge  of  the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains,  or 
cross  the  bay  to  Sausalito  and  go  north  behind  the  Mt.  Tamalpais 
Ridge,  or  eastward  from  Oakland  through  the  Contra  Costa  Hills, 
and  in  less  than  an  hour  we  are  in  a  climate  so  different  that  we 
are  almost  ready  to  believe  that  we  have  been  suddenly  transported 
hundreds  of  miles.  In  the  valleys  which  we  have  reached  on  our 
short  journeys  there  is  often  fog  at  night,  but  the  days  are  warm 
and  sunny.  Vineyards  and  orchards  of  many  kinds  of  fruit  are  all 
about  us,  and  we  even  see  orange  trees  with  their  golden  fruit. 

We  must  not  expect  the  winters  about  San  Francisco  to  be  cold 
because  the  summers  are.  The  days  of  fall,  winter  and  spring  are 
often  warmer  than  those  of  summer,  although  the  nights  may  be 
frosty. 

During  the  winter  there  is  no  strong  sea  wind.  This  is  the 
season  for  storm  winds  which  blow  from  different  directions. 

What  important  effect  did  the  making-  of  San  Francisco  Bay 
have  upon  the  bordering  country? 

1.  Much  fertile  valley  land  was  flooded:  Several  hundred 
square  miles  of  the  best  valley  land  was  overflowed  by  the  sea 
when  San  Francisco,  San  Pablo  and  Suisun  Bays  were  formed.  The 
value  of  the  waterway  opened  for  ships  into  the  very  heart  of  Cali- 


Looking  in  through  Golden  Gate  from  Fort  Point. 


California 


117 


fornia  is,  however,  much  greater  than  that  of  the  land  that  was 
lost.  Besides  this  the  remaining  land  was  made  more  valuable  be- 
cause of  the  great  population  attracted  here  by  the  advantages  for 
manufacturing,  trade  and  commerce. 

2.  The  sinking  of  the  land  led  to  the  building  of  river  deltas: 
The  delta  lands  of  the  Great  Valley  which  were  made  by  the  Sac- 
ramento and  San  Joaquin  Rivers  as  they  filled  up  the  ancient  Sui- 
sun  Bay  are  larger  in  area  than  all  three  of  the  bays  which  we 
have  mentioned,  and  will  some  time  support  a  great  population. 

The  formation  of  this  delta  with  all  its  rich  acres  is  directly  due 
to  the  sinking  of  the  land.  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  large  body 
of  water  forming  the  ancient  bay,  the  mud  or  silt  which  the  rivers 
brought  dowm  from  the  mountains  would  not  have  been  dropped 
and  the  delta  would  not  have  been  formed.  The  silt  would  have 
been  carried  on  to  the  ocean  and  lost  to  us. 

The  Columbia  River  pours  its  muddy  flood  directly  into  the 
ocean,  discoloring  the  water  for  many  miles  out,  for  it  has  no  quiet 
water  in  which  to  drop  its  load  of  silt.  The  Colorado,  about  which 
w^e  shall  learn  later,  has  formed  thousands  of  square  miles  of  the 
richest  land  in  the  head  of  the  ancient  Gulf  of  California. 

3.  About  San  Francisco  and  San  Pablo  Bays  are  tidal  marshes 
where  great  numbers  of  ducks  and  other  water  birds  are  found: 
Tidal  marshes  border  much  of  the  lowland  about  San  Francisco  and 
San  Pablo  Bays,  and  fill  their  many  coves  and  arms.  A  part  of  this 
overflow  land  is  bare  mud  at  low  tide  and  a  part  is  covered  with 
salt  water  grasses.  Some  day  the  water  will  be  shut  out  of  the 
marshes  by  dikes  and  the  rich  soil  will  be  cultivated. 


The  vast  stretch  of  the  Suisun  marshes — the  delta  of  the  Sacramento-San 

Joaquin   Rivers, 


118 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


Untold  numbers  of  ducks  once  stopped  in  the  marshes  upon 
their  migrations  to  the  north  or  south.  They  have  been  hunted  so 
much  that  they  are  now  nearly  gone.  Greater  protection  must  be 
extended  to  these  game  birds  or  we  shall  lose  them  entirely. 

Tidal  channels  were  formed  which  are  very  useful  for  the  trans- 
portation of  produce  to  market  from  the  surrounding  valleys.  If 
you  will  examine  the  map  of  San  Francisco  and  San  Pablo  Bays  you 
will  see  small  streams  leading  through  the  marshes  to  Petaluma, 
Napa,  San  Rafael  and  Alviso.  Each  of  these  is  the  water  outlet  of  an 
important  valley  or  town. 

These  streams  are,  however,  too  small  to  be  used  by  boats  if 
it  were  not  for  the  tide.  At  high  tide  they  are  deep  enough  for 
small  steamers  which  carry  on  an  important  business,  especially  with 
the  two  towns  first  mentioned. 

How  has  the  presence  of  San  Francisco  Bay  influenced  the 
settlement  and  occupation  of  the  people  in  tTie  region 
about  ? 

1.  Since  San  Francisco  Bay  is  so  safe  and  commodious  it  has 
become  an  important  commercial  center :  San  Francisco  Bay  lies 
almost  midway  between  San  Diego  in  the  south  and  Puget  Sound 
in  the  north.  In  most  respects  it  is  the  best  harbor  upon  the  Pacific 
Coast.  Because  of  its  position  and  character  a  large  part  of  our 
commerce  with  the  countries  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  must  come  here. 

Since  San  Francisco  Bay  is  such  a  favorable  point  for  ships 
to  take  and  discharge  cargoes,  railroads  were  needed  to  bring  freight 


Palace  of  Fine  Arts,  San  Francisco,  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
buildings  in  the  world. 


California  119 

and  distribute  it  over  the  country.  Then  manufactured  products  of 
many  kinds  found  a  market  here  as  well  as  a  distributing  point 
and  so  great  plants  were  erected  to  do  all  kinds  of  work. 

All  these  things  required  much  labor  and  so  thousands  of  peo- 
ple came.  Towns  and  cities  sprang  up,  the  largest  of  which  is  San 
Francisco. 

2.  The  growth  of  a  great  population  on  San  Francisco  Bay 
is  also  favored  by  the  open  route  into  the  interior:  If  there  had 
been  a  lofty  mountain  range  between  San  Francisco  Bay  and  the 
interior  it  would  not  have  become  an  important  center  of  commerce. 
As  it  is,  however,  large  ocean  boats  can  go  up  through  the  Coast 
Ranges  to  the  Strait  of  Carquinez,  where  they  can  receive  direct 
the  produce  of  thousands  of  acres  of  fertile  land. 

3.  The  coming  of  a  great  population  makes  the  bay  region  an 
important  market  center:  The  people  of  the  cities  which  are  grow- 
ing up  about  San  Francisco  Bay  need  large  quantities  of  food.  If 
we  turn  either  to  the  north,  to  the  east,  or  to  the  south,  we  find  rich 
valleys  branching  out  from  the  bay  in  which  food  supplies  of  all 
sorts  are  grown.  From  these  valleys  produce  can  be  quickly  and 
cheaply  sent  to  market,  either  by  boat  or  by  railroad. 

The  needs  of  the  cities  determine  also  the  sort  of  farming  car- 
ried on  in  the  adjoining  valleys.  Vast  quantities  of  fresh  fruits 
and  vegetables  are  required  every  day  by  the  cities  of  the  bay 
region  and  they  must  be  raised  near  by  so  that  they  will  be  fresh 
and  cheap. 

Consequently  the  most  important  farming  carried  on  is  garden- 
ing and  truck  farming,  the  raising  of  chickens  and  the  growing  of 
small  fruits  and  berries  of  all  sorts. 

4.  The  marsh  lands  favor  the  making  of  salt:  About  Alva- 
rado  upon  the  eastern  side  of  San  Francisco  Bay  there  are  exten- 
sive plants  for  the  making  of  salt  from  sea  water.  At  high  tide  the 
water  is  allowed  to  flow  into  large,  shallow  ponds.  Then  the  open- 
ings are  closed  until  the  water  has  partly  evaporated.  This  is  re- 
peated until  a  strong  brine  is  formed.  The  salt  finally  crystallizes 
on  the  bottom  and  is  shoveled  out. 

5.  The  sinking  of  the  land  favored  the  growth  of  important 
fishing  industries:  When  the  land  stood  so  high  that  the  shore 
line  was  outside  the  Farallone  Islands  there  was  little  shallow  water 
along  the  coast  of  California,  for  the  bottom  descended  rapidly  to 
the  deep  Pacific. 

When  the  land  sank,  the  lowlands  along  the  coast  were  sub- 
merged, making  the  continental  plateau  or  shelf  over  which  the 
water  was  shallow. 

As  nearly  all  the  food  fishes  which  the  fishermen  get  either  by 
means  of  hooks  and  lines  or  by  nets  live  in  shallow  water,  the  sink- 
ing of  the  land  gave  an  opportunity  for  a  vast  increase  in  the  num- 
bers of  fish  along  our  shores  and  in  the  bays  which  were  formed. 

Many  hundreds  of  men  are  engaged  in  catching  fish  for  the 
San  Francisco  market  and  for  shipment  into  the  interior. 


120 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


The   Santa   Clara-San   Benito   Valley :     Once   a   Wild,   Oak  -  Dotted 

Park,   But  Now  a   Garden  of  Fruits   and   Flowers:     The 

Largest  and  Richest  of  All  the  Coast  Range  Valleys. 

Santa  Clara  is  sometimes  called  the  Garden  Valley.  In  the 
spring  a  flower  festival  is  held  at  which  time  hundreds  of  square 
miles  of  blossoming  prune  trees  present  a  wonderful  sight.  In 
summer  the  vast  seed  farms  with  their  many  colored  flowers  present 
an  equally  pretty  sight. 

The  Santa  Clara  and  San  Benito  Valleys  are  really  one,  for 
as  you  go  southeasterly  from  San  Jose  you  cannot  tell  when  you 
leave  Santa  Clara  and  enter  San  Benito  Valley.  They  lie  end  to 
end  just  as  do  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  Valleys,  but  while 
the  two  latter  drain  through  one  common  outlet  to  the  ocean,  the 
two  former  are  separated  by  a  slight  watershed.  Santa  Clara  Val- 
ley drains  into  San  Francisco  Bay,  and  San  Benito  Valley  empties 
through  the  Pajaro  River  into  Monterey  Bay. 

In  the  heart  of  Santa  Clara  Valley  lies  the  Mission  of  Santa 
Clara.  For  many  years  the  park-like  region  about  it  served  only 
for  grazing  cattle.  Then  with  the  coming  of  more  settlers  grain 
growing  became  the  important  industry.  Now  the  valley  has  be- 
come a  garden  of  fruits  and  flowers.  Three  miles  to  the  eastward 
of  the  mission  and  town  of  Santa  Clara  lies  the  city  of  San  Jose. 
This  city,  like  Los  Angeles,  was  founded  as  a  Spanish  Presidio. 
The  city  is  only  eight  miles  from  the  end  of  the  southern  arm  of 
San  Francisco  Bay,  with  which  it  will  some  day  be  connected  by 
canal. 


Point  Reyes;  one  of  the  most  dangerous  points  on  the  coast  of  California. 


California 


121 


Near  the  northern  end  of  the  valley  and  on  the  west  side  of 
San  Francisco  Bay  is  Stanford  University,  with  its  beautiful  build- 
ings in  the  old  Spanish  style. 

The  climate  of  the  whole  valley  is  agreeable,  for  the  Santa 
Cruz  Mountains  partly  break  the  cool  ocean  wands,  and  we  find 
growing  here  almost  every  sort  of  fruit  that  California  produces. 

The   Russian  River  and   Santa   Rosa   Valleys:     A   Favored   Region 

Whose  Beauty,  Climate  and  Fertility  Have   Made  It 

Known  Far  and  Wide. 

The  Russian  River  and  Santa  Rosa  Valleys  occupy  about  the 
same  position  north  of  San  Francisco  Bay  that  the  Santa  Clara  and 
San  Benito  Valleys  do  on  the  south.  The  rainfall  of  these  northern 
valleys  is,  however,  greater,  but  their  climate  is  fully  as  mild  be- 
cause of  the  shelter  offered  by  the  Coast  Range  between  them  and 
the  ocean, 

Upoif  either  side  of  the  two  main  valleys  are  smaller  ones,  while 
between  and  back  of  all  are  picturesque  mountains.  Some  of  their 
slopes  are  open  and  grassy  and  used  for  grazing  cattle  and  sheep; 
others  are  covered  wnth  groves  of  oak,  madrone,  laurel  and  redwood. 

The  lower  hills  have  been  found  best  suited  to  the  growing 
of  grapes,  of  which  there  are  many  thousands  of  acres.  Upon  both 
the  hill  slopes  and  in  the  valleys  fruits  of  almost  every  sort 
found  in  California  are  grown  in  abundance.     The  lowlands  of  the 


in  a  Hopiicld,  Russian  River  Valley, 


122 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


middle  part  of  the  main   valley  are  noted  for  their  extensive  hop 
fields. 

Vineyards,  orchards  and  hop  fields  are  three  things  for  which 
Russian  River  and  Santa  Rosa  Valleys  are  famous.  Almost  equally 
noted  is  Sebastopol  and  the  region  about  for  its  spicy  scented  graven- 
stine  apples  which  here  reach  perfection. 

So  sunny  and  free  from  frost  are  portions  of  the  lower  Russian 
River  and  Santa  Rosa  Valleys  that  oranges  and  lemons  of  a  good 
quality  are  now  being  grown  here  in  commercial  quantities. 

Near  Santa  Rosa,  with  a  favorable  climate  and  soil,  Luther 
Burbank  has  developed  his  new  and  valuable  plants. 

Many  w^ho  do  not  have  homes  in  this  pleasant  region  come  here 
for  the  summer  to  drink  and  bathe  in  the  waters  of  the  mineral 
springs,  and  to  camp  along  the  wooded  mountain  streams. 

Russian  River  does  not  continue  on  southeasterly  through  Santa 
Rosa  Valley  and  empty  into  San  Francisco  Bay,  as  one  would  think 
it  should,  but  turns  to  the  west  through  the  hills  and  enfpties  into 
the  ocean.  Thus  the  city  of  Santa  Rosa  has  grown  up,  not  because 
it  has  water  connection  with  San  Francisco,  but  because  it  is  in 
the  midst  of  a  large  and  thickly  settled  valley.  The  situation  is 
somewhat  like  that  of  San  Jose,  although  the  latter  makes  some  use 
of  the  port  of  Alviso,  eight  miles  away. 

At  the  lower  end  of  Santa  Rosa  Valley  there  is  a  town  which, 
like  Napa,  has  become  important  because  it  is  situated  on  a  creek 


On  the  beach  at  Santa  Cruz. 


California  123 

navigable  at  high  tide,  thus  affording  an  outlet  for  produce  to  San 
Francisco. 

This  town,  known  as  Petaluma,  is  noted  as  a  center  of  the 
poultry  business  in  California.  Cheap  freights,  a  favorable  climate 
and  well-drained  soil  have  brought  this  about. 

Sonoma  Valley:     Where  Was  Built  the  Most  Northern  of  the 

Missions. 

If  we  go  easterly  from  Santa  Rosa  around  a  range  of  moun- 
tains, we  come  to  another  valley  for  which  Nature  has  done  much. 
The  Mission  Fathers  thought  this  a  most  favored  spot  and  built 
here  the  last  and  northernmost  of  the  missions.  They  set  an  ex- 
ample for  the  American  farmer,  who  was  to  come  later,  in  putting 
out  vineyards  and  orchards. 

Sonoma  is  widest  known  for  the  fact  that  here  in  1846  was 
raised  the  "Bear  Flag"  in  the  first  eft'ort  to  free  California  from 
Mexican  rule. 

Napa  Valley:     Sometimes  Called  "The  Beautiful  Valley." 

Continuing  northeasterly  from  Sonoma  we  climb  another  range 
of  mountains  and  from  its  summit  look  down  upon  a  region  which 
well  deserves  the  name  "Beautiful  Valley."  Vineyards  and  orchards 
and  comfortable  homes  lie  scattered  along  the  main  valley  and  upon 
the  rolling  hills  which  border  it,  while  back  of  all  rise  partly  for- 
ested mountains. 

The  valley  extends  from  San  Pablo  Bay  in  a  northwesterly  direc- 
tion parallel  to  Russian  River,  and  reaches  to  the  foot  of  Mt.  St. 
Helena,  almost  half  way  to  Clear  Lake.  To  the  northeast  many 
mountains  and  small  valleys  still  have  to  be  passed  before  we  come 
to  the  Sacramento  Valley. 

The  attractive  scenery,  the  pleasant  climate,  which  is  neither 
too  hot  nor  too  cold,  the  many  mineral  springs  in  the  mountains, 
and  the  fact  that  almost  every  sort  of  fruit  grows  there,  makes  this 
valley  one  of  the  best  of  the  many  happy  vales  of  California. 

Napa  is  the  chief  town  because  of  its  situation  upon  the  Napa 
River,  by  means  of  which  it  receives  passengers  and  freight  from 
San  Francisco.  As  we  go  down  the  river  we  pass  upon  the  left  the 
towns  of  Benicia  and  Vallejo.  Benicia  was  for  a  time  the  capital 
of  California.  Upon  the  right  of  the  river,  where  it  enters  the  bay, 
is  Mare  Island  with  its  navy  yard. 

The  valleys  that  lie  under  the  shadow  of  Mount  Diablo. 

From  Vallejo  we  will  cross  the  Strait  of  Carquinez,  and  pass- 
ing the  town  of  Martinez,  go  up  to  Ygnacio  Valley  under  the  shadow 
of  Mt.  Diablo.  On  the  way  we  pass  the  spot  where  John  Muir 
lived,  the  man  who  has  written  so  much  about  our  mountains  and 
worked  so  long  to  preserve  their  beauty. 

Continuing  from  Ygnacio  Valley  around  the  west  side  of  Mt. 
Diablo  through  an  orchard  country,  we  come  to  San  Ramon  Valley, 


124 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


and  then  the  broad  Livermore  Valley,  which  Hes  south  of  the  moun- 
tain. Now  grainfields  and  orchards  line  our  road  until,  turning  down 
through  the  picturesque  Niles  Caiion,  we  come  out  in  the  Santa 
Clara  Valley  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  bay.  Between  this  point 
and  Oakland  we  pass  through  several  towns  surrounded  with  veg- 
etable gardens  and  orchards. 

After  the  discovery  of  gold  the  main  route  from  Southern  Cali- 
fornia to  the  mines  was  along  the  Camino  Real  to  San  Jose.  From 
this  point  it  led  through  Niles  Canon,  Livermore  Valley,  and  over 
Livermore  Pass. 

Livermore  Pass  is  the  lowest  gap  in  the  whole  length  of  the 
Coast  Ranges  except  that  at  Carquinez.  One  branch  of  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad  now  follows  the  route  of  the  old  stage  road. 

Mt.  Tamalpais  and  the  valleys  that  nestle  about  it. 

If  we  would  escape  the  cool  fog  of  a  summer  day,  all  that  we 
have  to  do  is  to  climb  or  take  the  scenic  railway  to  the  summit  of 
Mt.  Tamalpais.  On  its  top,  2586  feet  above  the  sea,  we  are  in  the 
clear,  warm  air,  while  the  fog  rolls  below  us  like  the  waves  on  the 
ocean.  Most  mountains  are  colder  than  the  valleys  at  their  base, 
but  it  is  just  the  reverse  during  the  summer  on  all  the  high  moun- 
tains which  rise  along  our  coast. 

When  the  fog  has  gone,  the  whole  bay  region  lies  spread  out 
before  us  like  a  map.  We  see  the  islands,  the  peninsulas,  the  coves 
with  their  mud  flats  and  winding  tidal  streams,  the  towns,  boats  and 
other  signs  of  the  presence  of  men. 

On  the  south  of  Mt.  Tamalpais  is  Muir  Woods,  a  national  park 
with   its    grove    of   great   redwood   trees.      Close    under   the    highest 


Diablo,  from  Walnut  Creek. 


California  125 

peak  are   Ross  and  Mill  Valleys   with  homes  set  among  redwoods, 
while  farther  away  is  San  Rafael. 

From  the  western  shoulder  of  the  mountain  we  look  dow^n  upon 
the  bay  and  town  of  Bolinas,  and  away  beyond  them  Point  Reyes 
may  be  seen  extending  far  out  into  the  ocean.  Southward  are  the 
Marin  Hills,  covered  with  dairy  cattle,  and  beyond  them  the  Gol- 
den Gate. 

Mount   Diablo:    The   great   landmark  of   the   Central   Coast 
Ranges. 

As  we  cross  the  Great  Valley  in  the  direction  of  San  Francisco, 
the  first  thing  that  attracts  our  attention  is  Mt.  Diablo  with  its  dou- 
ble peaks  standing  up  all  alone.  From  its  top  nearly  400O  feet  above 
the  sea  there  is  a  magnificent  view'  reaching  to  the  snowy  mountains 
far  to  the  east  and  north. 

Mt.  Diablo  is  also  interesting  because  it  is  the  point  from  which 
all  land  measurements  in  Central  and  Northern  California  start.  Mt. 
San  Bernardino  is  used  as  a  base  for  measuring  the  lands  of  South- 
ern California. 

The   Santa   Cruz   Mountain  region:    Renowned   for   its   red- 
wood forests  and  its  agreeable  summer  climate. 

When  the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains  are  mentioned,  we  think  of 
camping  among  the  redwoods  or  of  pleasant  homes  on  the  moun- 
tain slopes  with  orchards  of  apples  set  about  them. 

The  cutting  of  the  redw^ood  forests  has  been  an  important  in- 
dustry for  many  years  in  this  region.  Now  people  have  come  to 
love  these  trees  and  the  finest  remaining  forest  has  been  set  aside 
by  the  state  for  public  use  and  named  Sempervirens   Park. 

Along  the  ocean  side  of  the  mountains  the  broad,  grassy  slopes 
and  cool  air  make  dairying  an  important  industry.  Upon  the  east- 
ern and  southern  slopes  there  are  orchards  of  different  kinds  of  fruit, 
the  apple  being  the  most  important. 

The  city  of  Santa  Cruz  attracts  many  summer  visitors  because 
of  the  fine  sea  bathing.  Others  spend  their  summers  in  the  redwoods 
back  of  the  city  or  at  Half  Moon  Bay  and  Pescadero. 

The  Mt.  Hamilton  Range :    The  seat  of  the  Lick  Observatory. 

Those  who  study  the  stars  must  have  clear  air  for  their  work, 
and  as  there  is  so  much  fog  and  haze  in  the  air  of  the  lowlands  it 
is  better  for  them  to  resort  to  some  mountain  top.  For  this  reason 
the  Lick  Observatory  was  placed  upon  Mt.  Hamilton,  whose  summit 
is  4209  feet  above  the  sea. 

Mount  Hamilton  is  the  highest  peak  of  the  lofty  range  which 
shuts  in  Santa  Clara  Valley  on  the  east.  From  its  summit  we  look 
across  a  sea  of  mountains  to  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  In  this  rugged 
region  the  slopes  are  steep,  the  valleys  are  small  and  the  rainfall 
becomes  less  the  farther  we  go  from  the  ocean.  For  these  reasons 
few  people  live  here  and  they  are  engaged  in  stock  raising. 


126 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


The  islands  of  Sail  Francisco  Bay. 

When  the  land  sank  and  San  Francisco  Bay  was  formed,  several 
of  the  hills  which  rose  in  the  valley  of  the  ancient  Sacramento  River 
were  entirely  surrounded  by  water  and  made  into  islands.  Others 
were  just  covered  by  the  water  and  formed  reefs  very  dangerous  to 
ships  until  they  were  blown  out  by  powder. 

Angel  Island  is  the  largest  and  is  used  as  a  quarantine  station. 
Here  people  infected  with  disease  are  landed  from  the  ships  and  are 
kept  isolated  until  danger  of  contagion  is  past.  Alcatraz  lies  di- 
rectly in  the  middle  of  the  entrance  to  the  bay  and  is  used  as  a 
fort  and  military  prison.  Goat  Island  has  a  lighthouse  and  naval 
training  station. 

The  beginnings  of  San  Francisco. 

It  was  not  until  1775,  six  years  after  Portola  had  looked  down 
from  the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains,  that  the  first  ship  entered  the  bay. 
The  commander  of  the  San  Carlos  made  a  camp  on  Angel  Island 
and  explored  the  shores  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Sacramento  River. 

In  1776,  the  very  year  of  our  Declaration  of  Independence,  the 
Spaniards  chose  a  rocky  point  overlooking  the  bay  for  a  presidio. 
This  place  is  now  known  as  Fort  Point. 

A  spot  for  the  Mission  Dolores  was  selected  in  a  little  valley 


The  San  Francisco  water  front. 


California  127 

lying  two  miles  to  the  south  and  midway  between  the  ocean  and 
the  bay. 

After  a  time  a  little  settlement  sprang  up  on  the  shore  of  a 
cove  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  peninsula  about  four  miles  from  the 
mission.  This  was  named  Yerba  Buena,  after  a  fragrant  mint  which 
grew  among  the  bushes  on  the  sandy  slopes.  As  late  as  the  year 
1846  the  population  amounted  to  less  than  two  hundred. 

Everything  quickly  changed  after  the  discovery  of  gold.  The 
quiet  bay  became  alive  with  the  shipping  of  every  nation  and  the 
little  village  of  Yerba  Buena  grew  into  the  city  of  San  Francisco 
almost  in  a  night.  In  July,  1848,  five  hundred  square  rigged  ships 
lay  anchored  ofif  Montgomery  street. 

The  appearance  of  the  bay  and  city  in  1849. 

Bayard  Taylor,  a  noted  writer  who  came  by  the  Isthmus,  says : 
"We  are  in  front  of  the  entrance  to  San  Francisco  Bay.  The  moun- 
tains on  the  northern  side  are  3000  feet  high  and  come  down  boldly 
to  the  sea.  As  the  view  opens  through  the  splendid  strait,  three  or 
four  miles  in  width,  the  island  rock  of  Alcatraz  appears  glistening 
in  the  distance.  High  through  the  vapor  in  front,  and  thirty  miles 
distant,  rises  the  peak  of  Mt.  Diablo,  which  overlooks  everything 
between  the  Sierra  Nevadas  and  the  ocean.  At  last  w^e  are  through 
the  Golden  Gate — fit  name  for  such  a  magnificent  portal  to  the  com- 
merce of  the  Pacific.  Yerba  Buena  Island  (now  Goat  Island)  is  in 
front ;  southward  and  westward  opens  the  renowned  harbor,  crowded 
with  the  shipping  of  the  world,  the  flags  of  all  nations  fluttering  in 
the  breeze.  Around  the  curving  shore  of  the  bay  and  upon  the  sides 
of  three  hills,  the  town  is  planted  and  seems  scarcely  yet  to  have 
taken  root,  for  tents,  canvas,  plank,  mud  and  adobe  houses  are  min- 
gled together  wdth  the  least  apparent  attempt  at  order  and  dura- 
bility." 

How  San  Francisco  appeared  in  1854. 

A  few  years  later  another  writer  says  of  San  Francisco :  "]\Iany 
parts  of  the  city  have  now  the  appearance  of  an  old  town  and,  in 
passing  through  them,  one  often  forgets  that  he  is  not  in  New  York 
or  Boston.  The  crowds  on  the  sidewalk,  the  rattle  of  trays,  the 
display  of  hacks,  the  roll  of  omnibuses,  the  ringing  of  bells,  the 
fruit  stands  on  the  corners  of  the  streets,  the  cries  of  various  ped- 
dlers of  small  wares  and  nicknacks,  the  long  wharves  loaded  with 
merchandise,  and  the  spacious  harbor  dotted  all  over  and  alive  with 
the  shipping  of  every  clime,  indicate  a  city  the  origin  of  which 
might  be  covered  with  the  dusts  of  time.  But  this  is  San  Francisco 
and  these  are  the  evidences  of  its  energy  and  thrift,  in  the  fifth  year 
of  its  existence." 

Where   did   the   people   of   San   Francisco   obtain   their   food 

supplies  during  the  gold  excitement? 

We  have  learned  that  during  the  Spanish  period  very  little  land 
was  cultivated  because  there  was  no  market  for  produce.  For  some 
time  after  the  discovery  of  gold  few  people  could  be  induced  to  work 


128 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


the  farms  or  assist  in  the  growing  of  fruits  and  vegetables,  which 
were  so  much  needed.  All  who  could  do  so,  left  their  work,  no  mat- 
ter what  it  was,  and  started  for  the  mines  where  they  hoped  to 
get  rich. 

Vegetables  and  tropical  fruits  were  brought  from  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  apples  and  pears  from  South  America,  butter,  cheese,  eggs 
and  bacon  from  New  York  and  Boston,  and  a  large  variety  of  cured 
provisions  from  China.  Ice  was  brought  from  Boston  and  from  the. 
Alaskan  Coast.  Large  quantities  of  gulls'  eggs  were  collected  along 
the  coast  and  used  in  the  place  of  hens'  eggs. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  years,  however,  many  men  left  mining 
and  went' back  to  farming.  In  the  gardens  of  the  Sacramento  and 
Santa  Clara  Valleys  vegetables  of  all  sorts  began  to  be  grown,  al- 
though prices  remained  high  for  a  long  time. 

How  is  it  that  San  Francisco,  having  so  many  natural  ad- 
vantages, had  not  become  an  important  place  before  the 

discovery  of  gold? 

San  Diego,  Los  Angeles, 
Santa  Barbara  and  Monte- 
rey were  old  towns  before 
there  was  any  settlement 
except  a  mission  and  fort 
where  San  Francisco  now 
stands.  The  bay  region  was 
on  the  outskirts  of  the  set- 
tled portions  of  California 
and,  although  there  were 
a  few  ranchos  along  its 
shores,  the  vast  country  to 
the  north  and  east  was  al- 
most uninhabited  except  for 
the  Indians. 

There  was  here,  then, 
nothing  to  support  a  town ; 
there  was  no  business  and 
no  occasion  for  ships  to  en- 
ter the  bay,  since  they  could 
neither  dispose  of  goods  nor 
carry  any  away.  The  Span- 
iards who  lived  comfortably 
upon  their  great  ranchos 
were  satisfied  with  things 
as  they  were  and  did  not 
try  to  build  up  the  set- 
tlements or  trade  of 
country. 

When     gold     was 

T      ,•       J  iv/r    ,    .  o       *  covered    everything 

Looking  down  Market  btreet,  ,  i  c„n      Fr^n 

o       T-i        •  changed.        i>anrran- 

San  Francisco,  v.  ii  o.  n  j,  v,  ^  . 


the 

dis- 
was 


California 


129 


Cisco  was  found  to  be  the  only  large  and  safe  harbor  within  reach 
of  the  mines,  and  for  thousands  who  came  by  water,  the  bay  and 
river  offered  a  convenient  way  for  continuing  their  journey  almost 
to  their  destination. 

How  is  it  that  the  most  important  city  of  the  bay  region  is 

situated  upon  a  long,  narrow  peninsula  instead  of  upon 

the  Contra  Costa  or  Marin  shores? 

The  Mission  and  Presidio  were  established  upon  the  peninsula 
because,  in  the  first  place,  they  could  be  reached  directly  by  land 
from  the  older  settlements  to  the  south,  and  in  the  second  place, 
the  situation  was  a  commanding  one  at  the  very  entrance  to  the  bay. 

The  little  cove  where  the  town  of,  Yerba  Buena  sprang  up  of- 
fered the  best  landing  for  boats  and  was  the  most  protected  from 
storms  of  any  spot  near  by  and  was  also  close  to  the  entrance  to 
the  bay.  Upon  one  side  of  the  little  bay  the  land  rose  very  steeply 
to  Telegraph  Hill,  but  upon  the  other  sides  the  slopes  were  gentle 
and  suited  to  build  upon. 

Although  the  water  is  deep  close  to  the  Marin  shore,  there  is 
no  room  there  upon  the  lowland  for  the  growth  of  a  great  city,  for 
the  hills  rise  steeply  almost  from  the  water's  edge. 

The  Contra  Costa  shore  is,  on  the  contrary,  broad  and  gently 
sloping,  but  the  w^ater  is  in  most  places  very  shallow  for  a  long  dis- 
tance out  and  large  boats  cannot  come  close  to  the  land. 

What  are  the  disadvantages  in  the  situation  of   San   Fran- 
cisco and  how  can  they  be  overcome? 
San  "Francisco  lies  at  the  northern  end  of  a  long,  narrow  pen- 


Stow  Lake,  Golden  Gate  Park,  San  Francisco. 


130 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


insula  and  can  be  reached  by  land  only  from  the  south.  There  is, 
then,  but  one  direction  in  which  it  can  grow.  Freight  and  passen- 
gers coming  and  going  in  other  directions  have  to  be  transferred 
by  ferries  across  the  bay.  To  meet  this  need  large  and  comfortable 
boats  are  run  to  Alameda,  Oakland,  Berkeley,  Richmond,  Sausalito 
and  Tiburon. 

In  order  that  the  thousands  of  people  who  have  their  homes 
on  the  Contra  Costa  side,  but  whose  business  is  in  San  Francisco, 
may  cross  the  bay  more  quickly  and  safely,  it  is  proposed  to  build 
a  tunnel  under  the  bay.  That  freight  may  reach  and  be  sent  from 
the  city  more  easily,  a  railroad  has  been  built  across  the  southern 
arm  of  the  bay. 

For  what  is  San  Francisco  particularly  interesting? 


City  Hall,  Oakland. 


The  rise  of  San 
Francisco  from  a  lit- 
tle hamlet  of  a  few 
houses  to  a  great 
city  during  the  gold 
excitement  is  a  story 
more  wonderful  than 
that  of  any  other 
city  in  our  country. 

San  Francisco  is 
interesting  because 
of  its  commanding 
and  picturesque  sit- 
uation. From  the 
hills  over  whi^h  it 
has  spread  there  is 
a  view  of  the  sea, 
of  the  bay  and  of 
the  mountains  be- 
yond. 

Because  of  the 
fresh  sea  winds  the 
climate  of  San  Fran- 
cisco is  equable  and 
healthful.  There  is 
but  little  difference 
in  the  average  tem- 
perature between 
winter  and  summer, 
that  of  winter  being 
51  degrees  and  of 
summer  59  degrees 
Fahrenheit. 

Because  of  the  wa- 
ter upon  three  sides, 
the  city  cannot  grow 


California  131 

in  those  directions  and  so  must  expand  toward  the  south.  The  excel- 
lent suburban  railways  now  permit  people  to  work  in  the  city  and 
yet  have  their  homes  in  the  beautiful  region  along  the  foot  of  the 
Santa  Cruz  Mountains,  a  region  of  which  San  Mateo  is  the  center. 

Golden  Gate  Park  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  attractive  in 
our  country.  It  has  an  interesting  museum  and  zoological  garden. 
On  the  south  of  the  park  are  the  buildings  of  the  Affiliated  Colleges 
with  a  valuable  museum  of  ethnology.  On  the  north  of  the  park 
are  the  extensive  grounds  of  the  Presidio  overlooking  the  Golden 
Gate. 

On  the  west  is  the  ocean  and  Seal  Rocks,  Sutro  Park  and 
Baths,  and  a  fine  stretch  of  sandy  beach  to  which  crowds  of  people 
resort  on  warm  days. 

At  the  western  end  of  the  former  grounds  of  the  Panama  Pa- 
cific Exposition  is  situated  the  Palace  of  Fine  Arts.  This  building, 
with  its  magnificent  colonnade  and  rotunda  in  front,  is  one  of  the 
finest  architectural  monuments  in  the  United  States. 

San  Francisco  is  interesting  also  for  the  many  races  of  people 
wliich  it  contains  and  especially  for  its  Chinese  quarter. 

The    rebuilding   of   the    city    after    the    earthquake    and    fire 

of  1906. 

Few  cities  in  the  world  have  suflfered  such  destruction  from 
earthquake  and  fire  as  did  San  Francisco  in  1906.  Since  that  time 
the  city  has  risen  again  in  a  manner  almost  as  wonderful  as  that 
of  the  days  of  "49."  Miles  of  magnificent  buildings  have  taken  the 
place  of  those  destroyed.  They  have  been  strongly  built  and  there 
is  little  danger  to  be  feared  from  future  earthquakes  and  fires.  A 
group  of  the  finest  of  the  new  buildings,  including  the  city  hall, 
library  and  civic  auditorium,  have  been  built  about  the  new  Civic 
Center. 

What  are  the  most  important  industries  of  San   Francisco? 

San  Francisco  early  became  an  important  center  for  the  manu- 
facture of  mining  machinery  because  large  quantities  were  needed 
in  the  region  which  was  tributary  to  it. 

As  we  might  expect,  shipbuilding  has  been  carried  on  exten- 
sively because  of  the  great  demand  for  boats  and  the  abundance 
of  suitable  timber  in  the  forests  of  the  coast.  The  Union  Iron 
Works  has  built  many  of  the  battleships  and  cruisers  for  the  United 
States   Navy. 

Because  San  Francisco  is  advantageously  situated  for  shipping 
goods  in  every  direction,  many  manufactories  have  sprung  up.  One 
of  the  largest  canning  factories  in  the  world  is  found  here. 

Although  the  bay  region  has  already  become  a  very  important 
manufacturing  center,  the  future  greatness  of  San  Francisco  will  be 
based  mainly  upon  commerce,  which  wall  some  day  rival  in  import- 
ance that  of  the  city  of  New  York. 


132 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


The  cities  of  the  Contra  Costa  shore. 

In  1850,  after  San  Francisco  had  become  an  important  place, 
attention  was  directed  toward  the  Contra  Costa  shore,  where  an 
old  Spanish  soldier  by  the  name  of  Peralta  had  a  grant  of  land  of 
many  thousands  of  acres. 

The  water  of  the  Contra  Costa  shore  is  so  shallow  that  large 
ships  cannot  approach  it,  but  have  to  be  accommodated  by  very 
long  wharves.  There  is,  however,  at  one  place  an  estuary  extend- 
ing some  distance  into  the  land  in  which  the  water  was  in  the  early 
days  deep  enough  for  ships  of  modeate  size.  Back  of  the  estuary 
there  was  a  broad  expanse  of  gently  sloping  land,  reaching  to  the 
hills,  which  was  covered  with  a  picturesque  grove  of  oaks.  This 
was  believed  to  be  a  good  situation  for  a  town  and  because  of  the 
oaks  the  new  place  was  called  Oakland. 

Oakland  did  not  become  a  place  of  importance  until  after  the 
building  of  the  railroads.  Then  the  need  of  a  good  harbor  was  felt 
and  the  creek  or  estuary  was  deepened  until  it  could  accommodate 
vessels  of  large  size.  Oakland  harbor  has  now  become  important 
and  is  lined  with  shipping  and  manufactories. 

At  the  head  of  the  estuary,  in  the  edge  of  the  hills,  is  a  body 
of  water  open  to  the  tide  and  known  as  Lake  Merritt.  This  has 
been  made  the  center  of  a  beautiful  park. 

One  of  the  most  striking  and  attractive  buildings  in  all  the 
West  is  the  new  city  hall  of  Oakland,  which  towers  above  every- 
thing else  and  can  be  seen  for  many  miles. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  estuary  from  Oakland  is  the  city 
of  Alameda,  situated  upon  what  is  now  an  island  because  of  the  cut- 
ting of  a  canal  across  the  neck  of  the  peninsula.  Alameda  is  dis- 
tinguished as  a  city  of  homes. 

Berkeley  lies  north  of  Oakland  and  directly  opposite  the  Gold- 
en Gate.  It  extends  from  the  bay  across  a  gently  sloping  plain 
and  part  way  up   the   Contra   Costa  hills.     The   city  has  grown   up 


The  Civic  Center,  San  Francisco.     Library  on  left, 


California 


133 


about  the  State  University,  which  has  now  become  one  of  the  larg- 
est in  the  United  States. 

The  situation  of  Berkeley  was,  then,  determined  by  the  Univer- 
sity, and  the  University  was  located  here  because  of  the  beautiful 
oak-covered  slope  at  the  mouth  of  Strawberry  Cafion,  which  faces 
directly  across  the  bay  toward  the  Golden  Gate  and  Mt.  Tamalpais. 

The  most  striking  monuments  upon  the  University  grounds  are 
the  great  Campanile  with  its  chime  of  bells,  and  the  Greek  Theatre. 

Because  of  their  pleasant  situation  and  mild  climate,  Alameda, 
Oakland  and  Berkeley  all  became  noted  early  in  their  history  as 
cities  of  homes.  The  attractions  of  this  region  along  the  foot  of 
the  Contra  Costa  Hills  and  the  convenient  local  trains  and  ferries 
have  led  thousands  of  people  who  do  business  in  San  Francisco  to 
make  their  homes  on  the  east  side  of  the  bay. 

The  youngest  city  about  the  bay  is  Richmond,  which  is  situated 
north  of  Berkeley  near  Point  Richmond.  A  city  has  grown  up  here 
because  of  deep  water  near  by  and  the  coming  of  the  Santa  Fe  Rail- 
road.    It  is  becoming  an  important  manufacturing  place. 

What  has  made  it  possible  for  the  region  about  San  Fran- 
cisco Bay  to  become  the  most  important  manufacturing 
center  in  the  ^ West? 

We  have  already  learned  what  important  advantages  San  Fran- 
cisco Bay  ofifers  for  trade  and  commerce.  For  a  city  or  region  to 
become  noted  for  its  manufactures  it  must  first  of  all  be  easily  ac- 
cessible so  that  raw  material  can  be  shipped  to  it  cheaply  and  the 
finished  products  sent  away  to  market.  It  must  also  have  cheap 
and  abundant  power  for  running  machinery. 

The  fact  that  there  is  very  little  coal  in  California,  and  the  long 
distance  that  materials  had  to  be  brought,  delayed  the  early  growth 
of  manufacturing,  but  now^  all  has  changed. 


Civic  Auditorium  in  middle,  and  City  Hall  at  right. 


134 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


The  opening  of  the  Panama  Canal  now  enables  us  to  bring  ma- 
terials from  the  East  and  Europe  cheaply  and  quickly. 

We  no  longer  need  to  depend  upon  coal  for  fuel,  for  crude  oil, 
which  is  cheaper  and  suitable  for  nearly  every  purpose  for  which 
coal  is  used,  is  now  brought  hundreds  of  miles  from  the  oil  fields 
and  delivered  upon  the  bay  shore. 

In  order  to  use  water  power  for  running  mills,  it  was  once  nec- 
essary to  place  the  mills  by  the  streams.  This  would  have  been  very 
inconvenient  in  California,  for  most  of  the  streams  that  furnish 
power  are  far  away  in  the  mountains. 

Now  the  unlimited  power  in  the  far-away  cafions  is  turned  into 
electric  energy  and  carried  in  copper  cables  to  the  points  where  it 
is  convenient  to  use  it.  Electricity  from  the  mountains  runs  thou- 
sands of  street  cars  in  the  cities  about  the  bay,  furnishes  lights  in 
our  homes,  and  does  much  other  work. 


SUMMARY. 

The  Coast  Ranges  have  had  an  important  influence  upon  the 
discovery,  settlement  and  growth  of  Central  California. 

The  direction  of  the  mountains  and  valleys  had  made  travel  up 
and  down  the  coast  easy,  but  in  most  places  difficult  from  the  coast 
toward  the  interior. 

The  level  of  the  land  has  always  been  changing.  At  one  time 
it  was  higher,  at  another  time  lower,  than  it  is  now. 

The  present  position  of  the  land  has  resulted  in  only  one  deep 


Oakland  business  center  from  Lake  Merritt. 


California 


135 


land-locked  bay  and  harbor  suited  to  foreign  commerce,  and  that 
one  is  San  Francisco,  situated  where  the  Sacramento  River  has 
broken  through  the   mountains. 

Because  of  the  absence  of  other  good  harbors  with  openings 
into  the  interior,  population,  trade  and  manufacturing  have  centered 
about  the  bay  region. 

The  climate,  while  generally  agreeable,  varies  greatly.  In  the 
northwest  it  is  very  wet.  In  the  southeast  it  is  very  dry,  partly  be- 
cause there  are  fewer  severe  storms  and  partly  because  the  high 
mountains  near  the  coast  cut  off  the  moist  w^inds. 

The  various  kinds  of  climate  and  the  extent  of  the  fertile  lands 
suited  to  cultivation  have  determined  the  settlement  and  develop- 
ment as  well  as  the  sort  of  industries  carried  on  in  the  Coast  Range 
region. 

On  the  coast  dairying  is  the  most  important.  Next  comes  a 
broad  belt  in  which  fruit  growing  is  the  most  important  industry 
and  where  the  most  people  are  found.  Still  farther  toward_  the  inte- 
rior grain  largely  replaces  fruit.  In  those  valleys  where  it  is  very 
dry,  as  well  as  upon  the  mountain  slopes  too  steep  for  farming, 
stock  raising  is  the  leading  business. 

The  situation  of  San  Francisco  has  natural  advantages  which 
have  made  it  the  chief  commercial  and  manufacturing  city  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

The  valleys  which  extend  back  from  San  Francisco  Bay  have  a 
delightful  climate  and  with  their  many  advantages  have  become 
thickly  settled. 


Shipping  on  Oakland  water  front. 


136  New  Progressive  Geographies 

REVIEW  EXERCISES. 

^^'hy   was   the   exploration   of   the    Coast   Ranges   difficult    from    the 

ocean  and  easy  from  the  land? 
What  things  lead  us  to  believe  the  level  of  the  land  has  changed  ? 
How  is  produce  shipped   from   the   rocky   north   coast? 
How   do   men   often   make   harbors   w^here    Nature   has    made   none? 
Why  do  the  mountain   ranges  near  the  coast  affect  the  climate   of 

the  interior? 
In  what  part  of  the  Coast  Ranges  are  the  most  valleys? 
In  w'hat  part  are   the  fewest? 

Tell  where  the  most  important  forests  are,  and  why. 
W'hat  are  the  most  important  trees? 

Explain   how   the   climate   aft'ects    the    industries    in    different   parts. 
Why  is  the  interior  of  the  North  Coast  Ranges  thinly  settled? 
Why   are   there   few^    people   in   the   interior   of   the    Southern   Coast 

Ranges? 
By  what  routes  can  one  reach  Eureka?     What  are  the  leading  in- 
dustries in  the  vicinity? 
Trace  the  route  of  the  Camino  Real  and  tell  what  towns  are  situ- 
ated on  it. 
Tell  what  you  can  about  mineral  springs. 
What   was  "the   important   occupation   in   the    early    days?     Why   is 

farming  so  different  today? 
Describe  the  two  most   important  mineral   substances   found   in  the 

Coast  Ranges. 
W^hy  did  not  tow-ns  grow  up  about  all  the  missions? 
How   do  we  know   that  the  land  has  been   sinking  recently   about 
San  Francisco  Bay?     Where  was  the  mouth  of  the  Sacramento 
River  before  the  land  sank? 
Explain  how  the  climate  of  San  Francisco  differs  from  that  of  the 
valleys  about  the  bay.     Wliat  is  the  cause  of  the  cool  winds  on 
the  bay  in  summer? 
Explain  the  importance  of  the  Strait  of  Carquinez. 
Why  did  not  the  Russians  maintain  their  settlement  in  California? 
What  are  the  advantages  and  what  the  disadvantages  of  the  posi- 
tion of  San   Francisco?     Why  did  the  greatest  city  of  the  bay 
region   grow   up   here? 
Why  did  not  Monterey  early  become  a  great  city? 
What  are  the  advantages  of  water  transportation?     What  are   the 

advantages  of  the  situation  of  Petaluma  and  Napa? 
Tell  how  tidal   marshes  are  formed.     How  do  they  finally  become 

dry  land? 
Mention  some  of  the   important  food  fishes  and  tell  where   each   is 

caught. 
What  determined  the  site  of  Oakland;    of  Berkeley;    of  Richmond? 
How  are  buildings  constructed  in  San  Francisco  to  make  them  proof 

against   earthquakes? 
Where  does  San  Francisco  obtain  its  fuel  and  electric  powder? 
How  do  the  needs  of  the  cities  about  the  bay  affect  agriculture  in 
the  surrounding  valleys? 


California 


137 


What  are  the  advantages  of  the  region  south  of  San  Francisco  for 
suburban  homes?  What  are  the  advantages  of  the  Contra  Costa 
shore? 

PRACTICAL  LESSONS. 

The  sort  of  coast  hne  which  a  country  has  exerts  a  great  influence 
upon  its  settlement  and  development. 

A  sunken  land  has  usually  many  good  harbors. 

Mountains  extending  along  a  coast  break  the  ocean  winds,  making 
the  interior  drier  and  hotter  than  if  the  mountains  w'cre  absent. 

The  climate  of  a  country  determines  the  sort  of  farming  carried 
on  in  it. 

Cities  grow  up  where  there  are  opportunities  for  trade  and  man- 
ufacture. 

The  needs  of  a  great  city  determine  the  leading  farming  industries 
in   the   vicinitv. 


The  Campanile  on  the  University  grounds 
at  Berkeley. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains:     The  Last  Barrier  Which  the  Gold 

Seekers  Had  to  Cross:     A  Region  of  Such  Vast  Importance 
to  California  that  Without  it  the  State  Could  Never 
Have  Become  What  It  Is. 
Introduction. 

The  Sierra  Nevada  forms  the  greatest  mountain  range  in  the 
United  States.  It  is  nearly  400  miles  long  with  an  average  width 
of  60  miles.  It  has  many  peaks  over  14,000  feet  high,  and  Mt.  Whit- 
ney, the  highest  in  our  country  outside  of  Alaska,  rises  to  14,502  feet. 

The  range  has  a  long,  gentle  w^estward  slope,  so  that  all  the 
large  rivers  flow  toward  the  sea.  The  eastern  slope  is  very  abrupt 
and  the  streams  descend  rapidly  to  the  desert  valleys  of  the  Great 
Basin. 

Nearly  all  the  rivers  flow  through  deep  caiions  and  the  only 
large  valleys  are  near  the  northern  end  of  the  range. 

The  Sierras  are  noted  for  their  gold  deposits,  for  the  wonderful 
forests  and  for  their  grand  scenery. 

How  Fremont  found  that  there  was  a  lofty  mountain  range 
between  the  Great  Central  Valley  of  California  and  the 
deserts  of  the  interior. 

We  call  General  Fremont  "The  Pathfinder"  because  he  made  so 
many  discoveries  in  the  West.  Because  of  an  incorrect  map  he 
nearly  lost  his  life  while  exploring  what  is  now  Nevada.  The  map 
which  he  had  showed  a  river  rising  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  and 
flowing  westward  into  San  Francisco  Bay.  Thinking  it  would  be 
easy  to  follow  down  the  river  and  spend  the  winter  in  the  pleasant 
valleys  of  California,  he  set  out  with  his  party  to  search  for  it. 

For  weeks  they  hunted  in  vain  and  at  last  gave  up  when  they 
found  a  range  of  snow-covered  mountains  extending  across  the 
place  where  the  river  was  supposed  to  be.  After  a  long  struggle 
over  the  snowy  summits  of  these  mountains,  and  when  nearly  dead 
from  starvation  and  cold,  they  succeeded  in  reaching  the  green  fields 
of  the  Sacramento  Valley. 

How  difl'erent  the  story  of  our  state  would  have  been  if  the 
river  that  appeared  upon  the  map  Fremont  used  had  really  existed. 
There  would  then  have  been  no  Carson  Desert  to  cross.  The  Don- 
ner  party  would  not  have  been  caught  in  the  snows,  and  the  Death 
Valley  expedition  would  have  kept  the  main  Salt  Lake  trail,  for 
they  would  have  had  no  lofty  snow-covered  Sierras  to  fear.  The 
Central  Pacific  Railroad  would  have  had  an  easy  route  to  Sacra- 
mento and  would  have  escaped  the  long  grades  and  the  many  miles 
of  snow  sheds  over  the  summit. 

Could  the  emigrants  seeking  the  gold  fields  have  escaped  the 
Sierras  by  going  around  them? 
Now  let  us  see  if  the  emigrants  coming  by  the  main   overland 


140 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


trail  could  have  reached  the  Sacramento  Valley  by  any  easier  route 
than  that  over  Donner  Pass. 

As  they  approached  California  the  wall  of  snowy  mountains 
rose  directly  across  their  path  and  extended  to  the  north  and  south 
as  far  as  they  could  see.  This  was  the  last  and  most  serious  obsta- 
cle on  the  whole  journey  from  the  Mississippi  Valley  to  the  Land 
of  Promise. 

If  the  emigrants  had  turned  northward  they  would  have  found 
another  gap  in  the  mountains  called  Beckwith  Pass.  This  is  less 
snowy,  for  it  is  only  5000  feet  high,  while  Donner  Pass  is  7000  feet, 
but  their  wagons  could  not  have  been  taken  over  the  rugged  moun- 
tains between  the  pass  and  the  valley,  nor  through  the  canon  of 
Feather  River.  The  Western  Pacific  Railroad,  which  makes  use  of 
both  the  pass  and  the  canon,  found  the  latter  very  difficult  to  build 
through. 

If  the  emigrants  had  turned  toward  the  south  they  w^ould  have 
found  the  Carson  and  Sonora  Passes  higher  and  more  snowy,  while 
beyond  them  the  Sierras  increased  in  ruggedness  and  height  for 
300  miles. 

At  last,  near  the  southern  end  of  the  Sierras,  the  hearts  of  the 
travelers  would  have  been  gladdened  by  the  sight  of  Walker  Pass, 
a  low  gap  in  the  crest  leading  across  to  the  South  Fork  of  the  Kern 
River.  The  rugged  cafion  of  the  river  would,  however,  have  stop- 
ped them  just  as  did   Feather  River  Canon  far  to  the  north. 

Continuing  their  search   they  would  have   reached   the   Mohave 


Tuolumne  Table  Mountain  (lava)  under  which  the  miners  found  the  gold- 
bearing  gravel  of  an  ancient  river, 


California  141 

Desert  where  the  Sierras  bend  toward  the  west  and  join  the  Coast 
Ranges.  Traveling"  across  its  sandy  wastes  they  would  have  come 
at  last  to  the  Tehachapi  and  Tejon  Passes,  through  which  they  could 
without  much  difficulty  reach  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 

After  all  this  search  for  an  easy  and  direct  way  over  the  moun- 
tains, do  you  not  think  that  the  emigrants  selected  the  best  way 
when  they  chose  Donner  Pass? 

By  what  simple  means  did  the  early  miners  get  their  gold? 

The  discovery  of  gold  was  an  accident.  Marshall,  while  build- 
ing a  mill  race  in  Eldorado  County,  saw  the  shining  grains  in  the 
sands  of  the  ditch.  Gold  was  found  later  in  nearly  all  the  creeks 
and  rivers  flowing  through  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras.  The  miners 
soon  learned  that  as  this  metal  is  much  heavier  than  the  gravel 
they  must  look  for  the  shining  yellow  grains  on  the  "bedrock"  at 
the  bottom  of  the  gravel. 

The  only  tools  needed  were  a  pick,  shovel  and  "rocker."  The 
gravel  was  shoveled  into  the  rocker  and,  while  the  latter  was  moved 
back  and  forth  with  a  motion  like  that  of  a  cradle,  water  was 
poured  in.  In  this  way  the  lighter  materials  were  washed  away 
and  the  gold  was  left  upon  the  bottom. 

If  the  miner  had  some  quicksilver  and  boards  he  made  some 
"sluice  boxes,"  nailed  strips  across  the  bottom  and  between  them 
put  a  little   quicksilver. 

Then  he  turned  a  stream  of  water  through  the  boxes  and  shov- 
eled in  the  gravel.  The  quicksilver  seizes  and  holds  the  particles 
of  gold  as  they  are  being  washed  through.  This  process  is  called 
"placer  mining." 

After  placer  mining  had  been  carried  on  for  some  time  and  the 
richest  gravels  had  been  dug  over,  the  miners  began  to  search  for 
the  original  home  of  the  gold.  They  soon  traced  it  to  a  hard,  whit- 
ish mineral  called  quartz,  which  forms  veins  extending  through  the 
rocks. 

As  the  rocks  crumbled  away  and  left  the  quartz  exposed  on  the 
surface,  it  also  broke  up  and,  together  with  the  rock  fragments,  was 
washed  down  the  slopes  into  the  streams.  Nature  had  in  this  way 
been  collecting  the  placer  gold  through  many  thousands  of  years. 

There  was  one  vein  in  particular  which  drew  attention  because 
of  its  size  and  length  and  this  came  to  be  known  as  the  "^Mother 
Lode."  The  vein  can  be  traced  for  more  than  100  miles  and  has 
scores  of  mines  located  on  it. 

You  can  readily  see  that  quartz  mining  is  much  more  difficult 
than  placer  mining^  Shafts  are  sunk  in  the  veins  or  ledges,  and 
in  this  way  they  are  followed  far  down  into  the  earth.  Some  of 
the  mines  on  the  Mother  Lode  are  more  than  3000  feet  deep.  Where 
the  veins  are  found  upon  the  sides  of  steep  hills,  tunnels  are  run 
and  the  ore  is  taken  out  in  small  cars  instead  of  being  hoisted  up 
a  shaft  by  a  cable. 

In  order  to  separate  the  gold  the  quartz  is  crushed  with  heavy 
stamps,   after   which   the  yellow  grains  are  collected   by   the   aid   of 


142 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


quicksilver  on  copper  plates.    When  the  gold  is  found  in  other  min- 
erals, such  as  iron  pyrite,  the  ore  is  usually  roasted  in  a  furnace. 

The  large  quartz  mines  employ  hundreds  of  men.  Some  of 
these  men  mine  the  ore,  others  tend  the  machinery  which  raises  it 
to  the  surface,  or  the  mill  which  crushes  it,  or  prepare  the  timbers 
of  which  large  numbers  are  needed  to  keep  the  openings  from  cav- 
ing. Miners,  engineers,  electricians,  chemists,  carpenters,  wood- 
choppers,  teamsters,  cooks  and  store-keepers  are  needed.  These  men 
and  their  families  sometimes  form  a  whole  town. 

How  did  the  miners  get  the  placer  gold  that  was  too  deep 
for  pick  and  shovel? 

In  many  parts  of  the  Gold  Belt  beds  of  gravel  were  found  which 
were  often  as  much  as  100  feet  in  thickness.  They  were  left  by 
great  rivers  which  flowed  there  long  ago.  The  gold  at  the  bottom 
of  these  could  not  be  obtained  with  a  pick  and  shovel  and  so  an- 
other method  was  tried. 

Water  was  taken  out  of  the  rivers  by  means  of  ditches  far  back 
in  the  mountains  and  carried  around  the  hills  on  a  gentle  slope  until 
a  point  was  reached  above  the  mine  to  be  worked.  From  there  it 
was  taken  down  in  an  iron  pipe  at  the  end  of  which  was  a  "giant" 
with  a  nozzle.  The  water  was  thus  directed  against  the  bank  with 
such  terrific  force  that  it  was  rapidly  washed  down.  The  water  car- 
ried the  boulders,  gravel  and  sand  through  sluice  boxes  where  the 
gold  was  collected.     This  process  is  known  as   Hydraulic   Mining. 

As  a  result  of  hydraulic  mining  so  much  debris  was  washed  into 
the  streams  that  they  were  choked.  They  overflowed  their  banks, 
washing  gravel  and  sand  over  thousands  of  acres  of  cultivated  lands. 
So  much  silt  reached   the   Sacramento  River  that  it   also   began   to 


A  desert  valley  in  the  southern  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains;  near  Walker  Pass. 


California 


143 


grow  shallower  and  navigation  was  made  difficult.    A  law  was  finally 
passed  prohibiting  washing  the  debris  into  navigable  streams. 

What  valuable  minerals  besides  gold  are  found  in  the  Sierras  ? 

Gold  has  always  been  the  most  important  mineral  product  of  the 
Sierras.  The  silver  mines  which  lie  upon  the  eastern  slope  are  next 
in  importance,  and  after  the  silver  mines  come  those  of  copper. 

The  granite  used  in  the  cities  of  Central  California  comes  from 
Rocklyn  and  Raymond.  Beautiful  marble  is  found  at  Sonora  and 
quarries  of  roofing  slate  have  been  opened  near  Placerville. 

What  determined  the  situation  of  the  cities  and  towns  of  the 
early  mining  days? 

The  situation  of  the  towns  of  the  early  mining  days  were  not 
determined  by  opportunities  for  trade  or  manufacturing,  as  is  usually 
the  case ;    nor  was  it  because  there  were  rich  farming  lands  near-by. 

Wherever  rich  "bars"  or  "diggings"  were  found,  there  the  min- 
ers rushed  by  the  thousands  and  towns  sprang  up  in  a  day.  A  town 
might  be  started  upon  a  steep  hillside  or  in  the  bottom  of  a  nar- 
row  gulch. 

Towns  which  for  a  time  were  all  bustle  and  excitement  and 
contained  thousands  of  people,  disappeared  almost  as  quickly  as 
they  had  sprung  up.  Wherever  valuable  quartz  veins  were  found, 
there  some  of  the  miners  remained  and  went  to  work  upon  them. 

All  through  the  mining  belt  are  towns  which  have  only  a  small 
proportion  of  the  inhabitants  which  they  had  in  the  early  days. 
Mariposa,  Sonora,  Angels  Camp,  San  Andreas,  Placerville,  Grass 
Valley,  Nevada  City  and  Downieville  are  among  the  most  important 
of  the  mining  towns  which  still  remain.  They  are  supported  now 
largely  by  farming,  and  being  situated  in  a  region  of  many  attrac- 
tive and  fertile  valleys  will  some  time  again  become  important  places. 


Sierra  Valley,  the  largest  of  the  valleys  in  the  northern  Sierras. 


144  New  Progressive  Geographies 

What  eiwt  did  the  rush  for  gold  have  upon  other  occupations  ? 

)ng-  as  plenty  of  gold  could  be  had  for  the  digging-,  we  must 
not  b^fe^urprised  that  few  people  could  be  found  to  do  any  other 
woid^.  Provisions  of  all  kinds  were  very  high  because  they  had  to 
be.  Drought  such  long  distances,  and  often  on  pack  animals  over 
riQ^h  mountain  trails. 

]_  As  soon  as  the  best  diggings  were  worked  out,  many  of  the 
miners  returned  to  their  homes  in  the  East.  Others  who  had  not 
succeeded  in  finding  the  riches  they  wished  turned  to  farming  and 
often  made  more  money. 

Has  mining  been  a  good  or  a  bad  thing  for  the  development 
of  the  foothill  region? 

We  may  say  that  while  mining  made  California  a  great  and 
prosperous  state  in  a  very  short  time,  yet  it  left  the  gold  regions 
poor  and  thinly  peopled.  None  of  those  who  flocked  to  the  mines 
expected  to  make  their  homes  there  and  so  did  not  attempt  perma- 
nent improvements. 

When  miners  began  to  leave  by  the  thousands,  business  of  all 
kinds  suffered.  The  merchant  could  not  sell  his  goods.  The  farmer 
could  find  few  to  take  his  produce.  Although  the  quartz  mines 
finally  came  to  employ  a  good  many  men,  their  number  was  small 
compared  with  those  who  had  been  there. 

The  towns  became  almost  empty,  the  cultivated  fields  were 
turned  into  pastures,  and  the  country  took  on  a  deserted  look.  Many 
thousands  of  acres  of  the  best  land  along  the  streams  had  been  de- 
stroyed in  the  search  for  gold  and  the  barren  rock  piles  added  to 
the  desolate  appearance  of  the  country.  Even  now  dredgers  are  at 
work  in  the  streams  where  they  enter  the  Sacramento  Valley  turn- 
ing upside  down  the  fertile  bottom  lands.  We  need  the  minerals 
which  the  miner  digs  from  the  earth,  but  the  appearance  of  the 
country  in  a  mining  district  is  never  as  fair  and  pleasant  to  look 
upon  as  that  of  a  farming  district.  The  miner's  work  is  not  per- 
manent. His  success  does  not  depend  upon  the  preservation  of  Na- 
ture's gifts,  but  upon  how  quickly  and  cheaply  he  can  get  hold  of 
her  store.  The  work  of  the  lumberman  is  similar,  for  he  leaves  the 
.country  desolate. 

The  success  of  the  farmer,  on  the  contrary,  depends  upon  the 
care  which  he  takes  of  the  trees,  the  water  and  the  soil.  He  goes 
to  a  country  hoping  to  make  his  permanent  home  there  and  so  does 
everything  he  can  to  make  his  surroundings  comfortable  and  at- 
tractive. 

What  influence  has  lumbering  upon  the  development  of  the 
Sierra  region? 

Mining,  lumbering,  farming  and  stock  raising  are  the  four  im- 
portant industries  of  the  Sierras. 

Lumbering,  like  mining,  often  produces  great  wealth.  Like 
mining,  also,  it  often  leaves  a  country  poor  and  backward. 


AxOi^c 


California 


145 


No  forests  in  the  world  are  more  valuable  than  those  of  the 
Sierras  and  we  should  manage  them  with  great  care  that  they  may 
always  remain  to  help  hold  the  water  from  running  away  and  to 
furnish   fuel   and   lumber. 

Parts  of  the  forest  are  now  being  lumbered,  but  often  without 
giving  the  necessary  protection  to  the  young  trees.  Other  parts  are 
in  the  National  Forest  and  will  be  lumbered  carefully. 

If  lumbering  is  carried  on  properly  by  cutting  only  the  mature 
trees,  the  industry  will  benefit  this  mountain  region  and  be  a  per- 
manent one. 

The  mills  are  usually  situated  in  the  mountains  near  where  the 
trees  are  being  cut.     The  sawed  lumber  is  in  most  cases  sent  down 


The  wonderful  Kings  River  Caiion. 


146 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


to  the  railroads  in  V-shaped  flumes.  This  is  because  but  few  rail- 
roads extend  into  the  mountains  and  the  rivers  are  too  rocky  and 
swift  for  the  logs  to  be  floated  down. 

Although  the  foothill  region  is  backward  in  its  development, 
it  has  been  favored  by  Nature  above  most  other  regions. 

The  beautiful  foothills,  once  filled  with  miners,  are  now  thinly 
populated  and  backward.  Sometime  they  will  again  become  one 
of  the  most  prosperous  parts  of  CaHfornia. 

The  foothill  region  is  nearly  400  miles  long  and  from  fifteen  to 
thirty  miles  wide.  It  contains  most  of  the  population  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  province.  Much  of  the  surface  is  rough,  but  there  are  in- 
numerable little  valleys  where  almost  everything  that  is  produced  in 
California  will  grow. 

In  the  lower  foothills  oranges,  lemons,  olives,  figs,  raisin  grapes, 
peaches,  pears  and  prunes  thrive.  The  apples,  pears  and  prunes 
grown  in  the  upper  foothills  cannot  be  excelled  by  any  in  our  coun- 
try, although  there  are  as  yet  few  orchards  of  any  size. 

The  upper  foothills  have  a  heavier  rainfall  than  the  Great  Val- 
ley, an  abundance  of  wood  and  water  and  a  climate  as  agreeable 
as  any  in  the  world.  When  good  roads  have  been  built  and  the  slow 
mule  team  has  been  replaced  by  railroads  or  trucks,  produce  can 
be  sent  to  market  and  orchards  will  take  the  place  of  uncultivated 
fields. 


Arctic  flowers  (asters)  that  blossom  among  the  rocks  on  the  bleak 
mountains  above  timber  line. 


California 


147 


Why  is  it  so  difficult  to  cross  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains? 

The  Sierras  are  difficult  to  cross  because  we  cannot,  make  use 
of  the  rivers,  because  there  are  no  low  gaps  or  passes  and  because 
heavy  snows  block  the  roads  over  the  summit  for  fully  six  months 
in  the  year. 

Since  the  mountains  are  so  rough,  how  did  the  emigrants  get 
across  with  their  wagons  before  there  were  any  good  roads?  The 
highlands  between  the  caiions  have  somewhat  the  character  of  a 
plateau,  and  although  they  are  very  rocky  it  is  possible  to  take 
wagons  over  them  in  some  places. 

If  all  the  slopes  had  been  found  to  be  steep,  and  to  meet  in 
sharp  crests  like  those  of  the  San  Gabriel  Range  which  overlooks 
the  valleys  of  Southern  California,  the  emigrants  would  have  had  to 
leave  their  wagons  and  cross  on  foot  or  on  horseback. 

Why  is  it  that  the  rivers  flow  in  deep,  rocky  canons  ? 

Long  ago  the 
Sierra  Nevadas  were 
not  so  high  as  they 
are  now  and  the 
rivers  flowed  quietly 
through  broad  val- 
leys. Then  there 
came  earthquakes 
and  the  mountains 
were  shaken  and 
lifted  until  the  slopes 
became  much  steep- 
er. The  water  then 
began  to  run  swiftly 
and  to  grind  away 
the  rocks  over  which 
it  flowed. 

After  hundreds  of 
tliousands  of  years 
the  rivers  have  cut 
such  deep  channels 
that  they  are  almost 
l)uried  from  sight. 
I'.ack  of  these  chan- 
nels or  caiions,  which 
are  very  precipitous, 
much  of  the  old 
gently  sloping  sur- 
face remains,  and  it 
is  this  which  we  have 
called  the  plateau-like 
upland,  and  \\hich, 
as  we  shall  see,  is 
of  very  great  impor- 
In  the  Mariposa  Grove  of  Big  Trees.  tance. 


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148  New  Progressive  Geographies 

In  what  way  is  the  plateau-Hke  upland  of  so  great  importance? 

The  canons  of  the  Sierras  are  so  rocky  and  narrow  that  few 
people  live  in  them.  If  all  the  slopes  were  as  steep  as  the  sides 
of  the  cations  there  could  have  been  no  heavy  forests  nor  any  land 
that  the  farmer  could  cultivate.  Mining  would  be  the  only  indus- 
try that  could  be  carried  on. 

Much  of  the  plateau-like  upland  is  indeed  very  rough  and  many 
peaks  rise  from  it  toward  the  summit  of  the  range,  but  it  contains 
innumerable  valleys  with  gentle  slopes  and  rich  soil. 

Upon  these  gentle  slopes  grow  the  wonderful  forests  for  which 
the  Sierra  Nevadas  are  so  noted.  The  higher  valleys  are  too  cold 
for  farming,  but  lower  down,  toward  the  foothills,  they  offer  every 
attraction.  Here  the  climate  is  warm,  but  not  too  warm,  the  scen- 
ery pleasing,  the  water  pure  and  cool,  while  the  soil,  temperature 
and  rainfalls  are  suited  to  the  growing  of  a  great  variety  of  fruits. 

Can  people  make  homes  in  all  the  highland  valleys   of   the 
Sierras  ? 

Although  it  is  so  hot  in  the  Great  Valley  in  the  summer,  we 
find,  if  we  ascend  the  mountains  far  enough,  a  region  where  it 
freezes  almost  every  night  and  the  snow  falls  twelve  to  fifteen  feet 
deep  in  the  winter. 

This  lofty  region  is,  then,  not  suited  to  home  making,  but  is 
a  delightful  place  in  which  to  spend  the  summer.  Most  of  this 
region  is  included  in  the  National  Forest  which  the  Government  is 
taking  care  of,  partly  to  see  that  it  is  not  wasted  by  fire  or  by  the 
careless  cutting  of  lumbermen,  and  partly  to  protect  the  water  supply. 

How  do  the  summer  thunder  storms   serve  the   farmers   in 
the  lower  valleys? 

On  many  hot  summer  days  lofty  masses  of  thunder  clouds 
gather  over  the  high  Sierras.  They  grow  dark  and  flashes  of  light- 
ning are  seen,  while  here  and  there  fall  heavy  showers. 

These  summer  storms  are  due  to  the  cold  mountain  tops  which 
turn  the  invisible  moisture  in  the  air,  as  it  floats  across  them,  into 
clouds  and  rain.  These  storms  may  be  so  severe  as  to  cause  the 
rivers  to  rise,  thus  furnishing  the  farmers  in  the  distant  valleys  more 
water  for  irrigation. 

Why  is   it  that  the  Western  Slope  has   such  heavy  forests, 
while  the  Eastern  descends  to  a  region  of  deserts? 

The  storms  come  from  the  Pacific  Ocean,  as  we  have  already 
learned,  causing  heavy  snow  and  rain  along  the  summit  and  over  the 
western  slope.  By  the  time  the  storms  have  passed  the  cool  summits 
of  these  lofty  mountains,  they  have  lost  so  much  of  their  moisture 
that  their  force  quickly  decreases,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  miles 
rain  almost  ceases  to  fall. 

On  the  western  slope  of  the  Sierras  there  is  a  wide  belt  which 
has  a  climate  intermediate  between  the  dry,  hot  lowlands  and  the 


California  149 

cold,  snowy  summits.     Here  the  conditions  favor  the  growth  of  for- 
ests of  immense  cone-bearing  trees. 

What  dififerences  do  we  observe  in  the  dimate,  productions 
and  industries  at  different  elevations  of  the  slope  of  the 
Sierras? 

1.  The  lower  foothill  or  sub-tropical  belt:  This  region  lying 
along  the  border  of  the  Great  Valley  is  covered  with  a  scattering 
growth  of  oaks.  Here  are  orchards  of  oranges,  lemons,  olives  and 
figs  which  require  a  hot  climate.  Other  fruits,  such  as  pears,  peaches, 
apricots  and  grapes,  flourish  in  this  region. 

2.  The  upper  foothill  belt:  Here  the  climate  is  a  little  cooler 
and  more  rain  falls.  Digger  pines  in  addition  to  oaks  are  found  in 
the  lower  part,  while  in  the  upper  part  we  are  in  the  edge  of  the 
yellow  pine  forest.  The  cooler  climate  is  suited  to  the  growing  of 
peaches,  pears,  cherries  and  apples.  Stock  raising  through  all  the 
foothills  is  an  important  industry  because  much  of  the  land  is  too 
rough  for  cultivation. 

3.  The  great  forest  belt:  In  this  region,  at  an  elevation  rang- 
ing from  4000  to  7000  feet,  are  the  finest  coniferous  forests  in  the 
world.  The  yellow  pine  is  the  most  important  lumber  tree  in  the 
lower  part.  Cedar  abounds  here  also  and  is  used  for  rails  and  posts. 
The  tree  of  least  value  is  the  white  fir,  while  that  of  most  worth  is 
the  sugar  pine,  which  is  used  for  doors,  window  sash,  shelves  and 
other  purposes  requiring  a  fine  grained  wood. 

The  noted  Sequoias  or  "Big  Trees"  occur  in  this  belt  and  are 
scattered  along  the  mountains  above  5000  feet.  The  most  noted 
groves  are  the  Kaweah,  Kings  River,  Fresno,  Mariposa  and  Cala- 
veras. These  trees  reach  a  height  of  300  feet  and  a  diameter  of 
30  feet,  and  some  are  believed  to  be  4000  years  old.  To  our  shame 
and  sorrow,  many  of  these  wonderful  trees  have  been  cut  down  and 
made  into  lumber. 

Much  of  this  great  forest  belt  is  too  high  for  farming,  but  the 
many  meadows  are  useful  for  grazing  purposes.  Dairying  has  long 
been  an  important  industry  in  the  northern  Sierras  because  there 
the  valleys  are  larger.  The  cool  air  and  green  grass  favor  the  mak- 
ing of  the  best  butter  and  cheese. 

4.  The  upper  forest  belt:  As  we  go  upward,  the  trees  of  the 
region  just  described  disappear,  and  the  red  fir,  tamarack  pine  and 
white  pine  take  their  places.  These  trees  do  not  grow  so  large  be- 
cause of  the  increasing  cold. 

5.  The  timber  line :  We  are  now  in  a  region  which  has  an 
almost  arctic  climate.  The  fierce  winds  and  winter  cold  make  the 
trees  gnarled  and  dwarfed.  The  struggle  for  life  is  a  hard  one  and 
they  cling  close  to  the  rocks,  sometimes  rising  not  more  than  two 
or  three  feet  above  the  ground. 

6.  The  arctic  region  of  bare  rocks :  We  have  now  reached  an 
elevation  of  more  than  two  miles  above  the  sea.  The  climate  is  too 
severe   for  trees   or   shrubs.      Snow    lies   under   the   shadow   of   the 


150 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


cliffs  all  summer  long.     In   the   sheltered  nooks,  however,   we  find 
beautiful  arctic  flowers. 

Thus  we  see  that  in  climbing  the  lofty  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains 
we  pass  through  all  the  different  climates  which  we  would  find  in 
traveling  from  the  tropics  to  the  arctic  regions,  a  distance  of  sev- 
eral thousand  miles. 

Why  is  it  that  there  are  so  many  beautiful  lakes  in  the  high 
Sierras? 

If  we  should  take  a  camp- 
ing trip  and  travel  the  whole 
length  of  the  high  Sierras, 
scarcely  a  day  would  pass 
when  we  could  not  see  one  or 
more  beautiful  lakes  set  among 
meadows,  crags  and  forests. 

Why  are  there  so  many 
lakes  in  these  mountains  and 
so  few  in  other  parts  of  Cali- 
fornia? If  we  examine  the 
surface  of  the  rocks  about 
these  lakes  we  shall  find  the 
answer  to  this  question.  They 
are  polished  smooth,  while  here 
and  there  the  surface  is  marked 
by  grooves  and  scratches. 

This  work  was  done  by 
glaciers  such  as  we  still  find 
upon  some  of  the  higher  moun- 
tains in  our  state.  Long  ago 
it  was  colder  in  the  moun- 
tains, more  snow  fell,  and  it 
did  not  melt  away  rapidly. 
The  snow  changed  to  ice  and 
moved  slowly  down  the  moun- 
tains. The  ice  polished  the 
rocks,  while  the  boulders  which 
it  carried  along  scratched  and 
grooved  them.  Where  the  rocks 
were  soft  they  were  ground 
away  faster  and  in  this  way 
the  rock  basins  were  made. 

When  the  ice  of  the 
glaciers  at  last  melted,  the 
water  gathered  in  these  basins 
and  formed  lakes.  Some  of  the 
larger  lakes  do  not  occupy  rock  basins,  but  were  made  by  dams  of 
boulders  and  gravel  which  the  glaciers  left  piled  across  the  canons. 


This  gnarled  and  twisted  Foxtail 
pine  has  struggled  with  the  storms  for 
hundreds  of  years;  near  timber  line 
on  Mt.  Whitney. 


California 


151 


Why  do  so  many  people  spend  the  summer  about  Lake  Tahoe  ? 

Tahoe,  although  more  than  a  mile  above  the  sea,  is  the  largest 
and  deepest  of  the  California  lakes.  It  has  become  famous  as  a 
summer  resort  because  of  the  pleasant  wooded  shores,  cool,  bracing 
air  and  rugged  mountains  surrounding  it. 

Tahoe  is  not  a  glacial  lake,  but  occupies  the  southern  end  of 
a  deep  hollow  almost  on  the  summit  of  the  mountains.  In  the  op- 
posite end  of  this  hollow,  far  to  the  north  of  Truckee,  lies  Sierra 
Valley,  noted  as  a  cattle  and  dairy  region. 

Long  ago  a  flow  of  molten  lava  from  some  volcano  made  a  dam 
across  the  ancient  valley  and  this,  filling  with  water,  gave  us  beau- 
tiful Lake  Tahoe. 

Of  what  important  use  are  the  lakes  in  the  high  Sierras? 

The  lakes  help  to  make  the  flow  of  the  streams  more  even  by 
storing  a  part  of  the  water  when  the  snows  are  melting  rapidly. 
They  thus  lessen  the  danger  of  floods  and  save  the  water  for  sum- 
mer use  in  the  valleys  below. 

Lakes  serve  the  same  purpose  as  reservoirs,  which  we  have  to 
build  at  great  expense  where  there  are  no  lakes,  if  we  wish  to  save 
the  water  of  the   winter  storms   for  irrigation. 

The  little  streams  which  feed  the  lakes  are  bringing  sand  and 
mud  and  have  completely  filled  many  of  them.  Nature  is  in  this 
manner  making  the  green  mountain  meadows  which  are  bright  with 
flowers  all  summer  long. 


The  cold  and  storms  of  timber  line  do  not  permit  the  trees  to  grow  upright 
but  causes  them  to  grow  close  to  the  ground. 


152  New  Progressive  Geographies 

In  how  far  is  the  settlement  of  the  Great  Valley  dependent 
upon  the  rivers  of  the  Sierras? 

We  have  learned  that  the  need  of  the  Great  Valley  is  water. 
The  rainfall  is  so  light  in  the  southern  part  that  it  must  remain 
sparsely  settled  unless  water  is  furnished  from  some  other  place 
where  there  is  plenty.  It  seems  as  if  Nature  had  made  the  lofty 
Sierras  on  purpose  to  furnish  the  needed  water. 

The  Sierras  tower  so  high  and  cover  so  many  thousand  square 
miles  that  they  take  vast  quantities  of  water  from  the  clouds.  The 
rivers  collect  this  and  pour  their  mighty  floods  down  through  the 
canons,  bringing  this  life-giving  substance  to  the  very  doors  of  the 
valley  farmers. 

The  rivers  of  the  Sierras  have  another  important  work,  and  that 
is  supplying  power  to  run  machinery.  Much  of  this  power  would 
go  to  waste  if  it  were  not  that  we  can  turn  it  into  electricity  and 
carry  it  in  copper  wires  for  200  or  more  miles.  The  rivers,  then, 
furnish  power  for  doing  all  kinds  of  work  in  the  foothills  as  well 
as  in  the  Great  Valley,  Southern  California  and  the  coast  region. 

Since  the  value  of  the  water  furnished  by  the  High  Sierras 
is  so  great,  should  we  not  be  very  careful  that  nothing 
is  done  in  this  region  which  will  lessen  the  supply? 

Wherever  we  go  in  a  hilly  or  mountainous  region  we  see  little 
gullies  made  by  running  water.  They  appear  by  the  roadside,  in  the 
plowed  fields  and  pastures.  When  we  cut  down  the  trees  and  bushes, 
when  we  pasture  the  slopes  too  closely,  and  when  we  do  not  use 
care  in  plowing,  we  leave  the  surface  of  the  ground  in  such  condi- 
tion that  the  water  not  only  runs  off  more  rapidly,  but  it  collects 
in  rivulets  which  cut  channels  and  carry  away  the  soil. 

The  effect  of  cutting  the  trees  and  pasturing  the  slopes  of  the 
mountains  is  even  worse  than  it  is  in  the  lower  valley  slopes  where 
people  live,  for  the  storms  are  much  more  severe  at  high  altitudes 
and  the  slopes  are  steeper.  The  result  is  to  cause  higher  water  in 
the  spring  and  less  water  in  the  summer. 

We  should  not  pasture  the  high  Sierras ;  we  should  not  cut  down 
the  trees  or  disturb  the  surface  in  any  way,  for  Nature  will  surely 
exact  a  penalty.  She  has  clothed  the  mountains  with  vegetation  so 
that  erosion  was  slow  until  men  came  to  disturb  her  arrangements. 

The  mountain  slopes  in  Spain,  Italy,  Palestine,  China  and  Corea 
are  washed  and  gullied  by  the  rains  because  they  were  not  cared  for. 
Their  rivers  are  low  in  summer,  while  in  winter  the  people  have  to 
work  hard  to  keep  the  sand  and  gravel  which  washes  down  from  the 
mountains  from  burying  the  rich  soil  of  their  valleys. 

For  what  are  the  Sierra  Nevadas  noted  all  over  the  world? 

When  the  Sierra  Nevadas  are  mentioned,  we  may  think  of  the 
excitement  at  the  discovery  of  gold;  we  may  think  of  the  hardships 
and  dangers  which  the  pioneers  went  through  in  crossing  this  lofty 
region ;    we   may   think   of   the  dashing  rivers   so   important   to   the 


California 


153 


farmer,  or  we  may  think  of  the  wonderful  forests  and  grand  scen- 
ery. The  two  things,  however,  which  make  the  Sierras  now  most 
widely  known  are  the  Yosemite  Valley  and  the  Big  Trees. 

The  Yosemite  is  the  most  w'onderful  valley  in  the  world.  It  is 
set  deep  in  the  mountains  and  surrounded  by  almost  vertical  cliffs 
of  granite  whicfi  rise  from  2000  to  nearly  4000  feet.  The  Merced 
River,  which  comes  tumbling  down  from  the  high  mountains,  enters 
the  valley  by  two  great  waterfalls,  and  after  flowing  for  eight  miles 
through  meadows  and  scattered  forests,  goes  on  down  through  its 
canon  to  the  Great  Valley  to  furnish  water  for  the  farmers.  On  the 
north  side  of  the  valley  are  the  Yosemite  Falls — the  loftiest  in  the 
world — and  on  the  south  side  is  the  beautiful  Bridal  Veil   Fall. 

For  thousands  of  years  the  river  has  been  at  work  cutting  this 
valley  out  of  the  solid  granite.  At  times  the  water  was  aided  by  the 
glaciers  which  once  partly  filled  the  valley  wdth  ice.  When  the 
last  glacier  melted  it  left  a  lake  which  the  river  has  now  turned 
into  a  green  meadow. 

The  cafions  of  the  Tuolumne,  Kings  and  Kern  Rivers  are  also 
noted  for  their  grand  and  picturesque  scenery.  They  are  visited  by 
many  camping  parties,  but  can  be  reached  only  by  means  of  rough 
mountain  trails. 

A   few  miles  north  of  the   Yosemite  is   Hetch   Hetchy,   another 


'l! 


A  perched  boulder  left  by  one  of  the  ancient  glaciers  of  the  Sierras. 


154 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


mountain  valley,  with  lofty  cliffs  and  waterfalls.  It  is  proposed 
to  turn  this  valley  into  a  lake  by  building  a  dam  across  the  canon 
below  and  to  carry  the  water  to  San  Francisco. 

What  is  the  object  of  the  national  parks  in  the  Sierra  Nevadas? 

We  wish  to  preserve  for  all  time  the  most  attractive  parts  of 
our  mountains  as  public  playgrounds.  We  wish  our  children  to  see 
and  enjoy  the  mighty  trees,  the  cliffs  and  waterfalls  just  as  they 
appeared  in  their  natural  state  when  white  people  first  saw  them. 

The  Yosemite  is  the  largest  of  the  National  parks  in  California, 
and  includes  the  mountains  for  many  miles  on  every  side  of  the 
valley.  Besides  this  park  there  are  the  Sequoia,  General  Grant  and 
Mt.  Whitney  Parks,  which  include  some  of  the  grandest  scenery 
and  most  important  groves  of  Big  Trees. 

Every  one  is  free  to  camp  in  the  parks  and  enjoy  all  that  Nature 
has  to  offer,  but  one  must  obey  the  rules.  All  guns  must  be  left 
behind  and  great  care  must  be  taken  about  fire.  No  injury  must 
be  done  the  trees,  plants,  wild  animals  or  birds. 

In  what  way  do  the  national  forests  differ  from  the  parks? 

The  lands  of  the  National  Forests  belong  to  the  Government 
just  as  do  the  parks  and  are  used  also  as  camp  and  playgrounds. 
It  is  not  the  plan  to  prohibit  entirely  the  cutting  of  timber,  but  to 
supervise  the  cutting  so  that  the  forests  will  be  preserved,  and  not 
destroyed  selfishly,  as  they  usually  are  when  controlled  by  lumber 
companies. 


The  Pinnacles,  on  the  crest  of  the  high  Sierras. 
Near  the  head  of  Kings  River. 


Califokxia 


155 


The  men  who  take  care  of  the  forests  are  called  Forest  Rangers. 
They  patrol  the  woods  in  summer  to  watch  for  fires,  for  these  cause 
almost  as  much  destruction  as  the  careless  lumbermen.  It  is  also 
the  business  of  the  ranger  to  determine  what  trees  are  ripe  and 
ready  to  be  cut  for  lumber  and  to  see  that  this  is  done  without 
injury  to  the  young  trees. 

Cattle  and  sheep  are  allowed  to  be  pastured  in  the  forest  by 
the  payment  of  a  small  rental.  The  ranger  sees  that  only  a  certain 
number  are  allowed  in  a  given  area  so  as  not  to  have  the  surface 
injured  in  a  way  to  cause  erosion  and  loss  of  water.  Before  the 
establishment  of  the  National  Forests  sheep  did  enormous  damage 
upon  the  higher  mountain  slopes,  destroying  the  meadows,  killing 
the  young  trees  and  causing  the  water  to  run  ofif  faster.  We  should 
do  all  we  can  to  help  the  forest  ranger  in  his  work,  for  he  is  guard- 
ing the  natural  resources  of  our  country  for  our  benefit. 

The   Sierra   Nevadas    form   the   largest   and   most   attractive 
camp  ground  in  all  the  world. 

If  we  loved  our  mountains  as  much  as  the  people  of  Europe 
do  the  Alps,  we  would  all  wish  to  spend  our  vacations  among  them. 
In  the  Alps  no  one  can  live  entirely  out  of  doors,  for  it  is  wet  and 
stormy,  but  in  our  mountains  there  are  no  summer  rains  except  the 
occasional  thunder  storms,  and  life  in  the  open  air  is  most  delightful. 

If  we  could  all  spend  a  few  weeks  each  summer  among  the 
mountains,  we  would  be  stronger  and  happier  and  better  able  to 
study  and  work  the  rest  of  the  year. 


^^^^'  .                         ^      ' 

:'  *-i*Slf^^;;'  '-i''  z"^':-^ 

"-    "^'r^Jf^ip^VV-'  vi.-  •■«flB 

ayt%=--:v.- -'"   ;>,  ^^■c^;^:^7tff>«r^^'^^  itfi^-'^^^BP^^^^^™^'  ' 

:.,.■""   •J 

Hetch  Hetchy  Valley,  where  San  Francisco  is  building  its  great  reservoir. 


156  New  Progressive  Geographies 

SUMMARY. 

The  Sierra  Nevada  Range  formed  a  serious  barrier  to  emigra- 
tion from  the  East,  but  had  to  be  crossed,  as  it  was  difficult  to  reach 
the  gold  fields  by  any  other  land  route. 

The  Sierra  Nevada  is  the  longest,  broadest  and  highest  moun- 
tain range  in  California.  Here  we  find  the  most  extensive  forest 
area  and  the  largest  trees.  Here  are  nearly  all  the  lakes,  and  the 
rivers  afford  more  water  for  irrigation  and  more  power  for  elec- 
tricity than  all  the  other  rivers  of  the  state. 

The  first  gold  fields  were  worked  in  the  foothills,  where  many 
towns  sprang  up.  Placer  mining  lasted  but  a  few  years,  giving  place 
to  hydraulic  mining  and  quartz  mining.  Many  of  the  miners  have 
left  these  little  foothill  towns,  so  that  the  population  is  less  today 
than  fifty  years  ago. 

The  backward  condition  of  the  foothill  region,  in  which  most 
of  the  population  is  found,  will  not  last.  The  quartz  veins  still  pro- 
duce millions  of  dollars  in  gold  every  year,  while  the  valleys  are 
rich  in  agricultural  resources.  Some  time  the  region  will  again  be 
thickly  peopled  and  prosperous,  but  this  prosperity  will  be  perma- 
nent, for  it  will  be  based  on  agriculture. 

The  scenery  of  the  lofty  peaks,  deep  canons  and  valleys  has 
made  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  renowned  throughout  the  world. 
Its  attractions  as  a  summer  playground  draw  a  greater  number  of 
people  every  year. 

REVIEW  EXERCISES. 

Of    what   great    importance    are    the    Sierra    Nevada    Mountains    to 

California? 
Why  were  the  Sierras  so  difficult  to  cross  in  the  early  days?     Why 

are  they  still  difficult  to  cross? 
Tell  what  you  can  about  the  advantages  ofifered  by  the  passes.   What 

passes  are  now  used  by  the  railroads? 
Why  was  it  easier  for  the  emigrants  to  follow  the  ridges  than  to 

keep  along  the  streams? 
How  did  the  placer  gold  become  buried  in  the  stream  gravels? 
Describe  the  different  ways  of  getting  the  gold. 
What  determined  the  position  of  the  mining  towns  of  the  Sierras? 
Find  out  what  you  can  about  life  in  the  mining  camps  in  the  early 

days. 
What    happened  when  the  placer  mines  began  to  give  out? 
Why  do   miners   and  lumbermen  take  less   pains   with   their  homes 

than  do  farmers? 
Which  offers  the  surest  means  of  a  comfortable  home,  mining  or 

farming? 
Why  are  the  foothills  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  now  so  thinly 

inhabited? 
What  advantages  do  the  foothills  offer  for  permanent  homes? 
In  what  part  of  the  Sierras  do  we  find  the  great  forests?     Why  do 


California  157 

they  occupy  a  belt  instead  of  covering  all  the  western  slope? 

Describe  the  changing  vegetation  as  one  goes  from  the  foothills  to 
the  summit. 

Why  in  lumbering  are  the  logs  usually  sawed  in  the  mountains  in- 
stead of  being  taken  to  the  Great  Valley?  How  is  the  lumber 
carried  to  the  valley? 

What  is  the  effect  upon  the  water  supply  of  clearing  the  forests 
from  the  mountain  slopes?     W'hat  is   the  effect  upon   the  soil? 

Why  should  we  be  particularly  careful  of  the  forests  of  the  Sierra 
Nevadas? 

Explain  how  the  lakes  help  protect  against  floods.  Of  what  other 
use  are  the  lakes  of  the  Sierras? 

In  what  way  may  pasturing  the  mountain  slopes  injure  the  water 
supply? 

Tell  what  you  can  about  the  Yosemite  Valley. 

What  was  the  purpose  of  the  Government  in  establishing  the  Na- 
tional Parks? 

How  is  the  government  helping  to  save  the  timber  for  future  use? 

Tell  what  you  can  about  the  important  lumber  trees  of  the  Sierras. 

Why  should  we  be  very  careful  about  setting  fires  in  the  mountains? 

What  injury  do  fires  cause  besides  that  of  the  loss  of  timber? 

What  are  the  advantages  of  the  Sierras  as  a  summer  camp  ground? 

PRACTICAL  LESSONS. 

Mountains  and  deserts  were  once  serious  barriers  to  the  spread  of 
people  across  our  continent.  Now  we  carry  water  into  the  des- 
erts and  make  tunnels  through  the  mountains. 

Settlements  and  industries  of  most  mining  and  lumbering  regions 
are  less  permanent  than  those  in  regions  were  farming  is  the 
chief  industry. 

Mountains  which  have  plateau-like  uplands  are  of  much  greater 
value  than  those  with  sharp-edged  ridges. 

In  going  up  a  high  mountain  one  passes  through  many  different 
climates. 

Lakes  are  numerous  in  all  regions  where  there  have  been  glaciers. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  for  the  development  of  California 
that  we  do  not  cut  off  the  timber  or  injure  the  surface  of  the 
high  mountains; 

It  is  necessary  for  our  health  and  progress  that  we  have  large  tracts 
of  mountain  country  set  aside  for  permanent  summer  play- 
grounds. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Southern  California:     A  Land  Left  by  Nature  Almost  a  Desert  But 
by  Men  Turned  Into  a  Garden  of  Fruits  and  Flowers — A  Land 
Where  Snow-Covered  Mountains  Look  Down  Upon  Blos- 
soming Orange  Groves,  Upon  Valleys  Whose  Clear 
Skies  and  Balmy  Air  Have  Made  Them  Re- 
nowned Throughout  All  Our  Country. 
Introduction. 

We  have  learned  how  Nature  has  surrounded  California  on  the 
land  side  by  mountains  and  deserts,  and  how  difficult  these  were 
to  cross  before  the  building  of  good  wagon  roads  and  railroads. 

We  are  now  coming  to  the  study  of  another  region  which,  al- 
though it  forms  one  of  the  most  important  divisions  of  our  great 
state,  is  almost  as  completely  separated  from  the  rest  by  mountains 
and  deserts  as  the  whole  state  is  from  the  outside  world.  Had  it 
not  been  for  a  narrow  pass  close  to  the  ocean,  the  early  explorers 
might  have  been  unable  to*  make  their  way  northward,  and  in  such 
a  case  the  story  of  California  would  have  been  different. 

Southern  California  is  not  a  simple  region  or  one  easy  for  us 
to  study.  It  has  many  kinds  of  climate,  ranging  from  that  of  the 
high  mountains,  where  the  winters  are  very  cold  and  heavy  rains 
and  snows  fall,  to  the  Colorado  Desert,  one  of  the  driest  and  hottest 
places   in  the  United   States. 

Southern  California  has  many  kinds  of  mountains,  valleys,  soils 
and  minerals,  and  because  of  all  this  its  people  are  engaged  in  a 
great  variety  of  occupations.  It  is  less  than  one-sixth  of  the  area 
of  the  state,  but  contains  fully  one-third  of  the  population. 

What  is  the  nature  of  the  mountains  and  deserts  that  inclose 
Southern  California? 

The  Mohave  Desert  is  a  part  of  the  Great  Basin,  as  we  shall 
learn  more  fully  later.  It  extends  so  far  westward  that  it  almost 
cuts  the  state  into  two  parts.  What  the  desert  lacked  of  doing  has 
been  completed  by  the  mountains.  These  lie  between  it  and  the 
ocean,  filling  all  eastern  Santa  Barbara  County.  They  are  so  steep 
and  rugged  that  no  wagon  road  has  been  made  across  them. 

There  is  but  one  open  route,  then,  between  Southern  and  North- 
ern California,  and  this  lies  close  to  the  ocean.  The  traveler  who 
would  go  direct  to  the  San  Joacjuin  Valley  from  Southern  California 
finds,  blocking  his  path,  two  mountain  ranges  with  the  Mohave 
Desert  between  them.  In  the  early  days  of  our  state  these  were 
far  more  difficult  to  cross  than  they  are  now. 

The  mountains  which  make  difficult  the  way  between  Southern 
and  Northern  California  are  a  part  of  a  great  system  of  mountains 
which  are  fully  as  important  to  the  people  of  Southern  California 
as  the  Sierra  Nevadas  are  to  the  people  of  Northern  California. 
Like  the  Sierras  they  form  a  serious  obstacle  to  travel  and  trade, 
but  are  indispensable   to  the  people  who  live  at  their  base. 


160  New  Progressive  Geographies 

The  system  of  mountains  of  which  we  are  going  to  speak  ex- 
tends wholly  across  the  state,  reaching  from  the  ocean  nearly  to  the 
Colorado  River.  Their  direction  is  more  nearly  east  and  west  than 
any  other  of  our  mountains  except  the  Santa  Monica  Range. 

The  different  portions  of  these  mountains  are  known  by  differ- 
ent names.  The  western  part,  extending  through  southern  Santa 
Barbara  County,  is  called  the  Santa  Ynez  Range.  Its  western  end 
is  in  the  ocean  and  forms  Point  Conception,  the  most  prominent 
cape  on  the  whole  coast  of  California. 

Following  the  mountains  eastward  we  shall  not  try  to  remem- 
ber the  names  of  the  many  different  ranges  which  we  pass  until  we 
come  to  the  highest  and  most  important  ones.  These  overlook  the 
Los  Angeles  -  San  Bernardino  Valley  and  shut  it  away  from  the 
deserts. 

The  first  of  these  is  the  San  Gabriel.  It  is  often  called  the 
Sierra  Madre,  meaning  "mother  mountains."  It  has  very  steep  slopes 
and  sharp  ridges,  and  San  Antonio,  the  highest  peak,  rises  10,080 
feet.  The  Spanish  explorers  rightly  called  this  range  Sierra  Madre, 
for  it  is  the  oldest  of  the  high  mountains  of  Southern  California. 

Continuing  still  farther  eastward  along  the  great  system  of 
mountains  bounding  Southern  California  on  the  north,  we  cross 
the  Cajon  Pass  and  come  to  the  San  Bernardino  Range.  We  will 
climb  San  Gorgonio,  the  highest  peak  in  Southern  California,  and 
from  an  elevation  of  11,485  feet  will  obtain  a  wonderful  view  over 
a  vast  extent  of  country. 

To  the  north  rises  the  sandy  wastes-  of  the  Mohave  Desert, 
whose  bare,  rocky  mountains  look  like  little  hills.  To  the  southeast 
lies  the  Colorado  Desert,  where  travelers  have  died  of  heat  and 
thirst.  The  desert  has  lost  its  fearsome  character  and  in  its  very 
heart  there  now  stretches  miles  of  green  fields — a  wonderful  change 
brought  about  through  the  discovery  of  artesian  wells  and  the  bring- 
ing in  of  the  water  of  the  Colorado  River.  On  the  west  lies  the 
green  valley  of  San  Bernardino,  and  away  in  the  distance  we  may 
see,  with  the  aid  of  a  good  glass,  Los  Angeles  and  the  ocean. 

To  the  south  of  and  opposite  San  Gorgonio  lies  its  twin  peak, 
San  Jacinto,  which  has  a  height  of  10,805  feet.  Between  them  is 
San  Gorgonio  Pass,  which  forms  the  easiest  gateway  into  Southern 
California. 

From  San  Jacinto  we  look  over  a  sea  of  mountains  which  ex- 
tends southward  between  the  Colorado  Desert  and  the  ocean.  These 
mountains  we  shall  call  the  Peninsula  Range,  for  they  form  the 
backbone  of  the  peninsula  of  Southern  California. 

What  can  we  say  of  the  slopes  and  river  basins  of  Southern 
California? 

We  once  thought  of  Southern  California  as  that  land  lying 
on  the  seaward  slope  of  the  mountains  which  we  have  just  de- 
scribed. That  was  because  this  slope  contained  practically  all  the 
inhabitants. 


California 


161 


The  seaward  slope  is,  like  the  similar  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Ne- 
vadas  and  Coast  Ranges,  much  the  longer.  It  receives  most  of  the 
rainfall  and  contains  the  larger  rivers. 

Now  we  have  come  to  think  of  Southern  California  as  includ- 
ing also  the  eastward  or  desert  slope  of  the  mountains.  Because 
of  the  bringing  in  of  water  from  the  Colorado  River,  and  the  boring 
of  many  wells,  thousands  of  people  now  dwell  upon  the  desert  slope. 

Because  the  two  main  slopes  of  Southern  California  are  some- 
what like  the  two  sides  of  a  roof,  there  are  no  very  large  river 
basins  but  many  small  ones  instead. 

The  largest  basins  are  those  of  the  Santa  Ana,  Santa  Clara  and 
Los  Angeles  Rivers.  These  rise  in  high  mountains  where  the  rain- 
fall is  heavy,  but.  they  flow  so  far  to  reach  the  ocean  that  in  sum- 
mer their  beds,  in  their  lower  courses,  are  dry.  Much  of  the  water 
is  lost  in  the  dry  air,  a  part  sinks  into  the  sand,  and  since  the  set- 
tlement of  the  valleys  all  that  can  be  obtained  is  carried  away  in 
ditches  for  irrigation. 

If  you  live  in  Southern  California  you  should  find  out  all  you 
can  about  the  river  that  supplies  your  home  district,  for  that  is  the 
most  important  one  to  you. 

Why  do  we  often  call  Southern  California  the  land  of  "Orange 

Groves" ? 

It  was  gold  which  first  made  California  talked  about  and  this 
was  for  a  long  time  its  chief  product.  California  became  known  as 
the   "land  of  gold."     All   eyes   were   turned  in   the   direction   of   the 


Auto  Clulj   of   Southern    California. 

Among  the  orange  orchards  of  Southern  California. 


162  New  Progressive  Geographies 

mines  which  had  been  opened  in  the  foothills  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains.  No  one  thought  of  stopping  in  Southern  California  or 
dreamed  that  the  half  desert  slopes  would  one  day  be  covered 
with  orchards. 

Now  miles  of  orange  groves,  the  trees  laden  with  fragrant  blos- 
soms and  yellow  fruit,  have  taken  the  place  of  the  desert  bushes. 
Southern  California  has  become  one  of  the  most  important  orange 
growing  districts  in  the  world  and  is  noted  as  widely  for  its  golden 
fruit  as  Northern  California  once  was  for  its  golden  sands.  For  this 
reason  we  call  Southern  California  the  "land  of  orange  groves." 

How  was  it  that  the  Padres  found  it  so  difficult  to  reach  this 

region? 

The  Mission  Fathers  came  from  Mexico.  The  journey  from 
the  City  of  Mexico  overland  to  California  was  far  more  dangerous 
than  that  followed  by  most  of  the  "gold  seekers,"  and  so  this  pos- 
sible route  was  not  used. 

The  usual  way  to  reach  California  was  by  ship  from  some  Mex- 
ican port,  but  the  boats  were  small  and  frequently  delayed  by  storms. 
Because  of  the  danger  of  travel  by  sea,  parties  sometimes  came  north 
through  the  long  and  desert  peninsula  of  Lower  California,  a  jour- 
ney which  took  many  weeks. 

How  is  it  that  this  region,  once  believed  to  be  almost  worth- 
less, has  been  transformed  into  a  land  of  fruits  and 
flowers  ? 

Although  the  valleys  of  Southern  California  appeared  very  dry 
in  summer  before  they  were  cultivated,  yet  their  climate  is  very  far 
from  being  that  of  a  desert.  They  receive  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
inches  of  rain  yearly,  while  upon  the  mountains  there  is  much  more. 
The  reason  that  the  land  appears  so  desert-like  is  that  the 
rains  fall  mostly  during  the  winter  months  and  the  long,  hot  sum- 
mers, when  it  is  so  greatly  needed,  are  without  any.  Thus  the  light 
soil  of  the  valley  slopes  becomes  so  dry  that  it  supports  a  scanty 
vegetation.  Only  those  plants  which  have  become  accustomed  to 
going  without  water  through  the  long,  hot  months  could  live  and 
thrive  there  under  Nature's  rule. 

Some  farm  crops  that  ripen  early,  such  as  grain,  can  be  grown 
with  only  the  moisture  of  the  winter  and  early  sprmg  rams.  If 
we  would  grow  fruits  and  vegetables  with  complete  success,  we 
must  water  them  artificially.  Without  a  supply  of  water  for  sum- 
mer use,  Southern  California  could  never  have  become  a  flourish- 
ing, thickly  settled  country. 

How  was  this  needed  supply  obtained?  The  total  rainfall  could 
not  of  course  be  changed,  but  could  not  a  part  of  this  water  m  some 
manner  be  saved  for  summer  use? 

What  becomes  of  all  the  water  from  the  rams  and  snows  on 
the  mountains,  and  of  the  springs  and  little  streams  which  flow 
all  summer  in  the  mountain  cafions? 


California 


163 


If  we  follow  a  stream  down  from  the  mountains  we  shall  find 
that  soon  after  reaching  the  valley  the  water  disappears  in  its  sandy 
bed.     A  part  is  lost  by  evaporation  in  the  dry,  hot  air,  but  another 

part  sinks  between 
the  pebbles  and 
grains  of  sand  and 
flows  on  under- 
ground across  the 
broad  valley  to  the 
ocean.  So  there  is 
water  here,  but  it  is 
underground  out  of 
sight.  The  rivers, 
we  say,  flow  upside 
down  in  the  summer 
time. 

After  the  severe 
wdnter  rains,  muddy 
floods  sweep  down 
the  dry  channels. 
Most  of  this  water 
is  lost  in  the  ocean, 
but  a  part  sinks  in 
the  gravels  and  sands 
underneath  the  val- 
leys, where  it  forms 
vast  stores  only  wait- 
ing to  be  pumped 
out. 

Thus  we  see  that 
Nature  does  supply 
this  region  with  an 
abundance  of  water, 
but  not  at  the  time 
of  the  year  when  it 
is  most  needed,  and 
besides  she  wastes  a 
large  part  of  it. 


Spanish  Bayonet  and  Big  Cone  Spruce  in  the 
San  Gabriel  Caiion. 


The  discovery  of  the  vast  stores  of  water  underground  and  the 
learning  how  to  hold  and  use  the  winter  floods,  has  enabled  us  to 
change  this  region,  apparently  so  dry  and  barren,  into  a  garden  of 
fruits  and  flowers. 

Is    there    any    resemblance    between    Southern    and    Central 
California? 

Southern  California  has  one  large  central  basin,  but  this  is 
broken  into  two  parts  by  a  chain  of  hills.  We  call  the  two  parts 
the  Los  Angeles  -  San  Bernardino  Valley.  There  are  no  Coast 
Ranges  separating  the  valley  from  the  ocean  and  it   is   drained  by 


164  New  Progressive  Geographies 

three  independent  rivers.  These  are,  in  order  of  their  importance, 
the  Santa  Ana,  San  Gabriel,  and  Los  Angeles. 

Three  large  valleys — the  San  Fernando,  Temecula  -  Elsinore  and 
San  Jacinto — open  into  the  central  basin,  while  many  others  open 
directly  to  the  ocean.  The  most  important  of  the  latter  valleys  are 
the  Santa  Clara  in  the  north  and  the  San  Luis  Rey  and  San  Diego 
in  the  south. 

Central  California,  as  we  have  already  learned,  has  one  great 
valley  with  mountains  all  around  it,  is  almost  unbroken  by  hills,  and 
is  drained  by  one  river  which  breaks  through  the  Coast  Ranges  to 
the  ocean. 

How  is   it  that  oranges   ripen  later  in   Southern   California 
than  in  the  Great  Central  Valley  of  the  north? 

The  Great  Central  Valley  is  so  completely  shut  in  by  moun- 
tains that  the  cool  winds  from  the  ocean  reach  it  only  at  one  point. 
Thus  this  region  is  warmer  than  it  otherwise  would  be  during  most 
of  the  year. 

The  cool  ocean  winds  blow  inland,  carrying  fog  across  the  whole 
of  the  Los  Angeles-San  Bernardino  Valley,  because  there  are  no 
Coast  Ranges  to  break  them.  For  this  reason  the  air  of  these  south- 
ern valleys  is  cooler  than  we  would  expect  to  find  it,  and  oranges, 
as  well  as  other  fruits,  ripen  fully  a  month  later  than  they  do  in  the 
Great  Central  Valley,  500  miles  farther  north. 

This  is  one  of  the  many  strange  and  curious  things  about  our 
California  climate  which  teaches  us  that  the  temperature  of  a  place 
and  the  kinds  of  fruit  which  are  produced  in  it  do  not  depend  upon 
its  distance  from  the  tropics. 

What  was  the  first  consideration  of  the  early  Spaniards  when 
seeking  places  for  their  settlements? 

There  is  a  reason  for  every  town  or  settlement  being  where  it 
is,  but  these  reasons  are  not  always  the  same.  A  town  may  spring 
up  in  a  given  place  because  of  advantages  for  trade,  because  of  water 
power  for  manufacturing,  because  of  rich  farming  lands  about,  or 
because  of  mines  near  by. 

In  Southern  California  the  most  important  thing  which  deter- 
mined the  locations  of  the  early  towns  was  water.  Without  water 
there  could  be  no  gardens,  and  since  it  was  such  a  long  and  dan- 
gerous journey  to  any  place  where  supplies  could  be  obtained,  it 
was  absolutely  necessary  to  raise  what  was  needed  just  as  soon 
as  possible. 

With  their  poor  tools  the  pioneers  could  not  build  elaborate 
water  systems  as  we  do  now,  so  that  they  were  compelled  to  locate 
as  near  as  possible  to  springs  or  permanent  streams.  The  second 
thing  that  the  pioneers  had  in  mind  when  locating  their  settlements 
was  fertile  soil,  for  without  that  water  would  produce  but  little.  The 
presence  of  a  bay  or  safe  landing  place  was  another  thing  which  de- 
termined the  location  of  some  of  the  settlements. 


California  165 

Why  did  the  discovery  of  gold  have  so  Httle  influence  upon 
the  settlement  of  Southern  California? 

1.  It  was  not  at  first  known  that  gold  occurred  in  Southern 
CaHfornia:  Placer  gold  had  been  found  in  the  mountains  of  north- 
ern Los  Angeles  County  years  before  the  discovery  in  the  north, 
but  the  Padres  did  not  look  with  favor  upon  mining  and  it  was  soon 
forgotten. 

Those  who  passed  through  Southern  California  on  their  way  to 
the  mines  did  not  stop  because  the  country,  in  its  natural  state,  did 
not  offer  so  good  inducements  to  the  farmer  as  did  the  region  of 
greater  rainfall  to  the  north. 

2.  The  region  was  remote  from  the  main  lines  of  travel  which 
led  to  the  mines:  Few  of  the  gold  seekers  came  through  Southern 
California,  for  the  main  trails  crossed  the  continent  farther  north. 
The  southern  trails  were  longer  and  more  dangerous,  but  some  peo- 
ple came  this  way  in  winter  when  the  northern  routes  were  blocked 
with  snow. 

3.  The  southern  trails  led  for  a  much  greater  distance  through 
a  desert  country  where  feed  and  water  were  difficult  to  obtain: 
The  course  of  the  old  Santa  Fe  Trail  was  from  St.  Louis  up  the 
Arkansas  River  and  across  the  southern  Rocky  Mountains  to  Santa 
Fe  in  New  Mexico.  From  here  it  led  through  Southern  Arizona 
with  its  broad  deserts  and  dangerous  Apache  Indians  to  Fort  Yuma. 
Then  came  the  worst  stretch  of  all,  the  Colorado  Desert,  which  had 
to  be  crossed  before  either  Los  Angeles  or  San  Diego  could  be 
reached. 

The  other  route  was  known  as  the  Spanish  or  Mormon  Trail, 
some  Mormons  having  come  this  way  and  settled  in  the  Valley  of 
San  Bernardino.  The  course  of  this  trail  was  south  of  Great  Salt 
Lake  and  across  Southern  Nevada  and  the  Mohave  Desert  and 
through  the  Cajon  Pass  to  the  Valley  of  San  Bernardino. 

When  the  emigrants  who  came  by  these  routes  had  reached  Los 
Angeles  they  were  still  far  from  the  mines.  Two  mountain  ranges 
and  the  Mohave  Desert  still  lay  in  their  path  and  would  have  to  be 
crossed  before  they  could  reach  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  From  this 
point  the  route  lay  over  a  vast  plain,  broken  only  by  the  rivers  from 
the  Sierra  Nevadas.    In  the  spring  these  rivers  were  difficult  to  cross. 

Why  did  agriculture  develop  more  slowly  in  Southern  than 
Northern  California? 

1.  Stock  raising  long  remained  the  most  important  industry: 
Few  of  the  early  emigrants  stopped  in  the  south  and  the  life  of  the 
Spanish  inhabitants  went  on  with  little  change  long  after  the  dis- 
covery of  gold.  Much  of  the  land  continued  to  remain  in  the  hands 
of  the  original  owners,  who  held  large  tracts  called  "grants,"  so 
named  because  granted  to  them  by  the  Mexican  Government. 

The  wealth  of  the  ranchos  consisted  largely  of  cattle,  horses 
and  sheep.  There  was  a  market  for  hides  and  tallow,  but  for  little 
else.     After  the  miners  came  there  would  have  been  a  market  for 


166 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


beef,  but  there  were  no  refrigerators  in  those  days,  and  it  was  too 
far  to  drive  the  cattle. 

2.  There  was  no  market  for  produce  of  any  sort:  Until  there 
was  a  market  we  could  not  expect  agriculture  to  become  an  impor- 
tant industry.  The  people  of  the  Missions,  towns  and  ranchos  all 
had  their  own  gardens  watered  by  ditches  from  some  near-by  stream. 

The  distance  to  the  gold  fields  was  so  great  that  it  was  not  pos- 
sible to  send  fruit  and  vegetables  there.  Fruit  could  have  been  sent 
to  San  Francisco  by  water,  as  it  was  from  far  more  distant  coun- 
tries, but  the  old  orchards  no  more  than  sufficed  for  the  home  pop- 
ulation. The  few  new  farmers  from  the  East  were  slow  in  under- 
standing the  natural  advantages  which  this  region  offered  for  grow- 
ing fruit. 

3.  The  country  appeared  dry  and  worthless  to  the  emigrants 
from  the  Eastern  States,  who  did  not  understand  what  could  be  done 
with  irrigation:  The  first  settlers  who  came  to  this  region  from 
Spain  and  Mexico  were  used  to  a  dry  climate  and  to  the  methods 
of  irrigation.  They  saw  quickly  the  similarity  of  the  climate  to 
that  of  their  old  homes  and  so  were  able  to  choose  wisely  the  places 
for  their  gardens.  They  settled  near  permanent  streams,  built  dams 
and  ditches  to  carry  water  to  these  gardens,  and  were  at  once  suc- 
cessful in  making  the  land  produce  abundantly. 

The  Eastern  emigrants  knew  nothing  about  irrigation.  They 
were  used  to  summer  rains,  and  this  country,  which  was  so  dry  in 
the  summer,  did  not  attract  them.  It  was  a  long  time  before  they 
learned  the  advantage  of  being  able  to  water  their  lands  just  when 
water  was  needed,  instead  of  having  to  wait  for  a  chance  shower. 

4.  Water  was  not  easily  obtained  for  irrigation  on  a  large  scale : 
While  there  was  plenty  of  w^ater  at  hand  for  the  gardens  of  the  few 
Spanish  settlers,  the  problem  of  obtaining  water  to  irrigate  thousands 
of  acres  was  a  much  more  difficult  matter. 


Irrigation  canal  near  Riverside, 


California 


167 


It  was  some  years  after  Americans  began  to  settle  in  Southern 
California  before  they  discovered  that  there  was  really  an  abundance 
of  water  in  this  region  apparently  so  dry.  The  thick  beds  of  gravel 
and  sand  underlying  the  valleys  proved  to  be  vast  reservoirs  of  wa- 
ter which  could  be  opened  by  means  of  wells.  In  most  places  the 
water  had  to  be  pumped  by  means  of  wind  mills  or  gas  engines.  In 
some  places  it  flowed  out,  forming  artesian  wells. 

The  spring  flpods  which  came  from  the  heavy  rains  and  melt- 
ing snows  on  the  mountains  showed  the  people  that  here  was  an- 
other important  supply  of  water  which,  if  it  could  be  made  use  of, 
would  be  sufficient  to  irrigate  all  the  valley  lands.  The  flood  waters 
are  now  being  partly  held  back  in  reservoirs  and  are  turning  the 
barren  slopes  into  gardens  of  tropical  luxuriance. 

-  5.  The  sandy  soil  with  its  scanty  vegetation  was  believed  to 
be  poor:  Most  of  the  mountains  of  Southern  California  are  formed 
of  granite  which  contains,  among  other  things,  much  quartz.  As 
the  rocks  crumble,  a  portion  of  this  material  is  washed  down  into 
the  valleys,  where  it  aids  in  making  the  soil.  This  soil  is  generally 
light  and  more  or  less  sandy,  and  as  it  supported  only  a  scanty  veg- 
etation, it  was  believed  to  be  poor  and  unsuited  to  growing  profit- 
able crops.  It  took  the  early  settlers  some  time  to  learn  that  this 
soil  was  really  very  rich  and  needed  only  water  to  make  it  produce 
abundantly. 

6.  The  mountain  slopes  are  usually  too  steep  and  rocky  for 
farming:     The  rainfall  is  so  much  greater  in  the  mountains  than  in 


Mt.  San  Jacinto  from  Hemet  Valley. 


168  New  Proc.ressive  Geographies 

the   valleys   that   if    these   high   lands   were    otherwise    suitable    for 
farming  they  would   require  no  irrigation. 

The  greater  part  of  the  mountains  of  Southern  CaUfornia  rise 
so  steeply  from  the  lowlands,  and  their  slopes  are  so  rocky,  that  it 
is  impossible  to  farm  them.  In  the  Peninsula  Range  in  San  Diego 
County  there,  are,  however,  many  mountain  valleys,  and  a  few  in 
other  parts  of  this  region  where  general  farming  and  fruit  raising 
are  carried  on  without  irrigation. 

What  finally  led  to  the  rapid  settlement  of  Southern  California  ? 

1.  Climate  has  been  the  most  attractive  feature:  Little  thought 
was  given  to  climate  or  scenery  in  the  early  days.  Learning  how 
they  could  best  make  a  living  in  the  new  land  occupied  all  the  at- 
tention of  the  first  settlers. 

Finally,  as  it  became  known  how  well  adapted  Southern  Cali- 
fornia was  to  the  growing  of  sub-tropical  fruits,  what  a  mild  and 
agreeable  climate  it  had,  and  how  picturesque  were  the  surround- 
ings, it  began  to  attract  visitors.  People  who  wished  to  escape  the 
cold  winters  of  the  Eastern  States  went  there  to  spend  a  part  of 
the  year.  This  led  to  the  building  of  great  hotels  to  accommodate 
tourists. 

Many  of  the  visitors  were  captivated  by  the  mild  climate  and 
beautiful  surroundings,  so  that  they  remained  and  made  their  homes 
there.  Towns  and  cities  sprang  up  very  rapidly  and  orange  groves 
began  to  take  the  place  of  the  desert  bushes. 

2.  In  what  way  has  the  climate  proved  attractive?  There  are 
three  distinct  sorts  of  climate  in  Southern  California :  the  climate 
of  the  coast,  of  the  interior  valleys,  and  of  the  mountains. 

Upon  the  coast  the  ocean  winds  and  fogs  make  summer  almost 
as  cool  as  winter,  while  changes  in  temperature  between  day  and 
night  are  very  small.  San  Diego  has  the  most  even  temperature 
of  any  place  in  our  country. 

In  the  interior  valleys,  where  the  sea  breezes  do  not  reach,  the 
summer  temperature  is  very  high.  Coachella  and  Imperial  Valleys 
are  among  the  hottest  places  in  the  United  States.  However,  the 
air  is  so  dry  in  these  valleys  that  it  is  much  less  oppressive  than  it 
otherwise  would  be,  and  sunstroke  is  rare. 

The  Los  Angeles-San  Bernardino  Valley  extends  far  inland,  but 
the  climate  over  its  whole  extent  is  influenced  by  the  ocean.  Al- 
though, as  we  have  learned,  it  is  divided  into  two  parts  by  a  chain 
of  hills,  yet  these  hills  are  not  high  enough  to  break  the  ocean  winds 
and  upon  many  summer  mornings  the  valley  is  completely  buried 
under  a  blanket  of  fog. 

Upon  the  mountains  we  find  a  very  different  climate.  The  win- 
ters are  cold  and  heavy  snows  fall.  The  summers  are  delightful  for 
camping  and  occasionally  heavy  thunder  storms  occur. 

3.  The  discovery  that  the  soil  and  climate  were  suited  to  grow- 
ing a  great  variety  of  fruits:  The  old  Mission  garden  showed  what 
a  wealth  of  sub-tropical  fruits  could  be  raised  in  California,  but  it 
was  not  learned  until  later  that  fruits  of  other  climes  would  grow 


California 


169 


equally  well  in  the  hot  lowland  valleys. 

In  the  same  garden  with  the  orange,  pomelo,  lemon,  fig,  olive 
and  raisin  grape,  we  find  the  apple,  pear,  peach  and  plum,  which 
are  natives  of  a  more  northern  and  colder  region. 

We  must  not  forget,  however,  that  each  of  the  three  climatic 
regions  which  have  been  mentioned  grows  certain  fruits  better  than 
the  others.  Lemons  do  well  near  the  coast,  oranges  and  grapes  are 
best  in  the  hot  interior  valleys,  while  apples  excel  in  the  high  moun- 
tain  valleys. 

4.  The  building  of  the  railroads  had  a  great  influence  upon  the 
growth  of  Southern  California:  In  the  early  days  it  was  useless  to 
set  out  groves  of  orange,  lemon  and  olive  trees,  for  there  was  no 
market  for  the  fruit.  It  was  not  possible  to  send  produce  overland 
by  wagon,  nor  even  to  Northern  California.  San  Francisco  and 
other  coast  cities  were  within  reach  by  water  and  these  w^ere  the 
only  places  where  fruit  could  be  sold. 

There  was,  however,  a  market  for  grain,  which  could  be  ship- 
ped to  distant  lands  by  boat  or  made  into  flour.  There  are  many 
large  valleys  where  in  ordinary  years  the  rainfall  is  sufficient  to 
grow  grain  without  irrigation.  Consequently  grain  and  cattle  and 
sheep  continued  to  be  the  chief  productions  until  the  coming  of 
the  railroads. 

Sacramento  had  been  connected  by  railroad  with  the  East  many 
years  before  Southern  California  had  any  outlet.  When  at  last  Los 
Angeles  was  connected  with  Sacramento  by  railroad,  and  the  South- 
ern Pacific  Railroad  had  been  built  east  across  Arizona  and  New 
Mexico,  a  great  market  was  opened. 

Florida  did  not  supply  enough  fruits  and  vegetables  for  the  win- 
ter markets  of  the  Northern  and  Eastern  States  and  California  began 
to  furnish  what  was  lacking.     Soon  the  products  of  this  region  were 


Bear  Valley  Reservoir,  San  Bernardino  Mountains. 


170 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


in  demand  and  the  quantity  shipped  increased  year  by  year.  The 
Santa  Fe  and  Salt  Lake  Railroads  when  completed  added  new  facil- 
ities for  sending-  our  products  East  and  now  many  thousands  of  car- 
loads are  shipped  each  year.  Refrigerator  cars  are  used,  so  that 
those  fruits  and  vegetables  which  ordinarily  keep  but  a  short  time 
are  landed  in  the  East  as  fresh  as  when  they  left  California. 

The  growing  of  citrus  fruits  has  now  become  the  leading  in- 
dustry of  the  coastal  slope,  and  one  can  ride  for  miles  through  al- 
most continuous  groves  of  orange,  pomelo  and  lemon  trees. 

The  navel  orange,  large,  sweet  and  seedless,  had  made  Southern 
California  famous  and  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world. 

This  orange  was  discovered,  almost  by  accident,  among  some 
trees  which  had  been  planted  at  Riverside,  and  which  came  from 
Brazil   through    the   Agricultural   Department   at   Washington. 

5.  Irrigation  is  the  chief  factor  in  the  making  of  Southern  Cali- 
fornia: Without  irrigation,  however,  most  of  Southern  California 
w^ould  have  remained  in  large  ranches  on  which  few  people  could 
make  a  living.  Grain  and  cattle  would  have  continued  to  be  the 
chief  productions. 

Those  parts  better  favored  by  Nature  would  include  the  moun- 
tain valleys,  where  the  rainfall  is  sufficient  for  growing  apples, 
pears,  peaches,  prunes  and  cherries ;  and  the  bottom  lands  along 
the  streams,  where  under  careful  cultivation  the  deep,  rich  soil  will 
grow  certain  fruits  and  other  farm  products  without  irrigation. 


Picking  Lemons. 


California 


171 


For  the  successful  growing-  of  citrus  fruits  more  water  is  needed 
than  Nature  supplies,  and  Southern  California  could  never  have  be- 
come the  "land  of  oranges"  if  it  had  not  been  possible  to  obtain 
water  for  summer  irrigation. 

The  lands  best  suited  to  the  growing  of  sweet  oranges  are  not 
near  the  cool  ocean,  nor  in  the  frosty  river  bottoms,  nor  the  moun- 
tain valleys.  They  are  the  broad,  gentle  slopes  lying  all  about  the 
bases  of  the  mountains.  They  include  the  higher  slopes  of  the  Los 
Angeles-San  Bernardino  Valley,  and  numberless  other  smaller  val- 
leys w^here  the  soil  and  climate  are  similar. 

Nature  had  supphed  the  proper  soil  and  temperature,  but  not 
the  water  needed  to  make  the  dry  slopes  bloom  with  orange  groves. 

The  great  stores  of  water  placed  in  the  gravels  underneath  the 
valleys  are  drawn  upon  by  means  of  thousands  of  wells.  The  flood 
waters  which  once  flowed  unchecked  to  the  ocean  are  held  back  by 
dams  in   the   mountains  and  turned  into  the   ditches   when   needed. 

When  we  have  succeeded  in  saving  all  the  flood  waters,  there 
will  without  doubt  be  enough  to  supply  all  the  valley  lands  and  sup- 
port millions  of  people  in  comfortable  homes. 

How  much  do  we  owe  to  the  mountains  for  the  growth  in 
population  and  weaUh  of  Southern  CaUfornia? 
Do  you  know  how  much  the  people  of  Southern  California  owe 
the  lofty  mountains  which  look  down  upon  this  fertile  and  bloom- 
ing region?     We  sometimes  think  the  rough  mountains  are  so  much 


y,  :■'•  ,.■-■  '^  V. 


Irrigating  an  orchard  by  checks. 


172  Nkw  Pro(U^essive  Geoc.rapiiies 

waste  and  useless  ground  and  that  if  they  were  taken  away  the  coun- 
try would  support  many  more  people. 

This  may  be  true  of  the  mountains  in  some  countries,  but  it  is 
not  true  of  those  in  California.  If  there  were  no  mountains  there 
would  be  less  water,  and  with  less  water  there  would  be  fewer  peo- 
ple, for  water  is  the  life  of  the  soil  and  only  by  its  aid  can  the  soil 
be  made  productive. 

How  do  we  know  that  the  mountains  are  such  valuable  water 
gatherers?  We  can  see  from  the  valleys  that  the  clouds  collect  first 
over  the  mountains  as  the  storms  approach,  and  stay  there  longest 
when  they  depart.  We  know  also  that  the  storms  aremore  severe 
on  the  mountains,  for  often  when  it  has  rained  but  slightly  in  the 
valleys  the  mountain  streams  become  muddy  torrents  from  the  down- 
pours which  occur  there. 

We  who  have  been  in  the  mountains  know  that  the  higher  we 
climb  up  their  slopes  the  cooler  the  air  becomes.  The  snows  which 
whiten  them  throughout  the  winter  and  spring  tell  the  same  thing. 
It  is,  then,  the  cold  air  of  the  mountains  which  changes  so  much 
of  the  moisture  of  the  clouds  into  rain  and  causes  the  snow  to  fall 
many  feet  deep.  Thus  they  aid  in  supplying  more  water  to  the  val- 
leys, while  the  slowly  melting  snows  keep  up  the  flow  of  the  streams 
far  into  the  summer. 

We  can  say,  then,  that  without  the  mountains  the  rainfall  would 
be  so  small  there  would  be  almost  no  streams.  There  would  be  few 
springs  and  little  water  for  summer  use.  Southern  California  would 
be  a  desert  and  capable  of  supporting  but  few  people. 

Of  what  other  uses  are  the  mountains  besides  supplying  water 

to  make  gardens  out  of  a  desert? 

1.  The  mountain  slopes  have  a  climate  favorable  to  the  growth 
of  forests:  There  are  belts  of  vegetation  on  the  mountain  slopes 
of  Southern  California  as  there  are  on  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  but,  as 
we  shall  see,  they  are  different  because  the  climate  is  not  the  same. 

Few  trees  are  found  in  the  lowland  valleys  because  of  the  light 
rainfall.     In  their  place  are  many  sorts  of  low  shrubs  and  cactuses. 

About  the  bases  of  the  mountains  and  upon  their  lower  slopes, 
the  bushes  grow  larger  and  more  dense.  Among  them  are  sage- 
brush, scrub-oak,  manzanita,  California  lilac  or  chaparral. 

In  the  caiions  appear  beautiful  spreading  oaks  and  somctmies 
cottonwoods  and  sycamores. 

As  we  ascend  to  the  plateau-like  uplands  and  mountain  valleys, 
we  reach  a  region  of  heavier  rainfall.  Upon  the  moister  shady  slopes 
oaks  abound,  but  upon  the  drier  ones  there  is  dense  brush  mmgled 
with  Spanish  bayonet,  which  in  the  spring  sends  up  a  great  stalk 
bearing  a  cluster  of  waxy  white  flowers. 

The  first  conifer  which  we  meet  in  our  upward  journey  is  the 
big  cone  spruce,  which  grows  in  the  canons  of  the  San  Gabriel  and 
adjoining  mountains.  It  is  not  until  we  reach  an  elevation  of  5000 
feet  that  we  come  to  the  main  forest  belt.     The  trees  of  this  forest 


California  173 

are  largely  yellow  pine,  the  most  widespread  of  all  the  lumber  trees 
of   California. 

Higher  still  we  find  the  cedar,  sugar  pine,  fir,  and  last  of  all 
the  dwarf  white  pine.  The  latter  reaches  almost  to  the  summit  of 
the  highest  peak. 

Each  kind  of  bush  or  tree  which  we  have  passed  lives  in  a  dif- 
ferent climatic  belt,  but  similar  belts  do  not  have  the  same  eleva- 
tion all  over  the  state.  In  Northern  California  the  yellow  pine 
grows  as  low  as  2000  feet,  and  its  position  in  Southern  California 
at  an  elevation  of  5000  feet  shows  that  we  have  to  ascend  3000  feet 
higher  to  find  a  climate  similar  to  that  in  the  north. 

The  forests  of  the  San  Bernardino  Mountains  are  the  most  ex- 
tensive of  any  in  this  part  of  the  state.  In  carrying  on  lumbering 
it  is  necessary  to  use  the  greatest  care  to  prevent  injury  to  the 
water  supply.  Already  much  harm  has  been  done,  for  where  the 
lands  have  been  swept  clear  of  trees  it  has  been  proved  that  the 
water  runs  ofi  much  more  quickly  than  in  the   undisturbed  forest. 

All  the  timber  lands  of  Southern  California  owned  by  the  Gov- 
ernment are  now  included  in  the  National  Forests  and  are  carefully 
watched  that  neither  lumbermen,  stock  nor  fires  injure  them. 

2.  The  mountains  afford  summer  pasture  for  cattle  and  sheep: 
The  mountain  uplands,  with  their  cool  summer  climate  and  abun- 
dant rains,  form  a  good  summer  pasture  for  cattle  and  sheep.  They 
have,  however,  been  overstocked  in  past  years  and  great  damage 
has  been  done  to  the  covering  of  vegetation  which  protects  the 
slopes.  This  has  been  most  serious  in  the  San  Gabriel  Range  be- 
cause of  its  very  steep  slopes. 

The  overstocking  results  first  in  the  killing  of  the  grasses,  other 
small  plants,  and  young  trees.  This  permits  the  water  to  run  off 
more  rapidly,  thus  affecting  the  springs,  as  well  as  cutting  gullies 
in  the  soil. 

The  rangers  who  now  have  charge  of  the  National  Forests  shut 
out  all  stock  from  the  higher  and  steeper  slopes.  We  can  readily 
see  that  it  is  necessary  to  guard  with  greatest  care  the  flow  of  the 
water  or  the   orange   orchards   in   the   valley  below   may  be   ruined. 

3.  The  lower  slopes  and  cafions  form  an  excellent  bee  pasture: 
Honey  is  one  of  the  products  for  which  Southern  California  is  noted. 
The  "bee  ranches"  are  usually  hidden  away  in  the  mountain  canons 
far  from  the  settlements,  for  in  such  places  is  found  the  greatest 
number  of  honey  producing  plants.  The  white  sage  is  particularly 
valuable  for  the  quality  of  honey  which  it  affords. 

4.  The  mountains  make  it  possible  to  grow  here  the  best  of 
northern  fruits:  In  the  mountain  valleys  fruits  of  more  northern 
climes  grow  to  perfection  without  irrigation.  Apples  are  the  most 
important  of  these  fruits,  and  at  an  elevation  of  about  4000  feet 
are  the  equal  of  those  raised  in  any  other  part  of  our  country.  Pears, 
peaches,  prunes  and  cherries  are  also  at  home  in  these  valleys. 

5.  The  mountain  streams  supply  power  for  electricity:  Many 
of  the  mountain  streams  are  large  enough  to  be  used   for  generat- 


174  New  Progressive  Geographies 

ing  electricity  needed  for  lighting  and   power  purposes   in  the   val- 
leys below. 

6.  The  mountains  furnish  attractive  scenery  for  the  dwellers 
in  the  valleys:  There  is  no  more  attractive  valley  scenery  in  Cali- 
fornia than  that  of  the  mountains  viewed  from  the  Los  Angeles- 
San  Bernardino  Valley.  The  lofty  snow-capped  peaks,  rising:  so 
abruptly  for  many  thousand  feet,  form  a  striking  contrast  with  the 
blossoming  orange  groves. 

7.  The  mountains  afford  summer  camp  grounds:  The  health- 
ful, bracing  air  among  the  pines  attracts  large  numbers  of  people 
during  the  summer  months  when  the  valleys  are  so  warm.  The  value 
of  the  mountains  for  this  purpose  is  becoming  greater  every  year. 

8.  The  mountains  contain  veins  of  different  minerals:  Veins 
of  gold-bearing  quartz  and  other  minerals  are  found  in  the  moun- 
tains. If  there  were  no  mountains  it  would  be  much  more  difficult 
to  determine  where  the  minerals  are.  The  steep,  rocky  slopes  make 
it  easy  to  discover  them  and  to  mine  them  by  means  of  tunnels. 

How  can  we  save  for  summer  use  the  largest  possible  amount 
of  the  water  which  Nature  furnishes  this  region? 

We  have  learned  that  the  productiveness  of  the  valleys  depends 
upon  the  water  from  the  mountains.  If  we  could  save  all  the  rain 
that  falls,  there  would  still  be  needed  great  care  in  its  use  that  it 
might  reach  to  the  many  acres  yet  unplowed.  Let  us  see  now  what 
we  must  do  to  save  this  water. 

1.  The  vegetation  on  the  mountain  slopes  must  be  protected: 
If  you  will  go  into  the  desert  which  lies  beyond  the  mountains  of 
which  we  are  speaking,  you  will  find  that  the  mountains  there  are 
bare  and  rocky.  Little  soil  gathers  as  the  rocks  slowly  decay  and 
crumble,  for  plants  are  almost  absent.  The  loose  material,  having 
nothing  to  hold  it,  is  at  the  mercy  of  the  occasional  heavy  rain  or 
cloudburst.  It  is  washed  from  the  slopes  down  through  the  can- 
ons and  spread  out  on  the  vast  desert  plains.  There  is  little  to 
hold  the  water  back  and  it  runs  quickly  away,  leaving  the  slopes 
almost  as  dry  as  they  were  before. 

The  lofty  mountains  of  Southern  California  receive  more  rain 
than  those  of  the  desert  and  so  bear  a  growth  of  bushes  and  trees. 
Their  roots  help  hold  the  earth  on  the  steep  slopes,  and  the  layer 
of  decaying  leaves  and  stems  aids  further  in  holding  back  a  part  of 
the  water  and  so  gives  time  for  it  to  sink  into  the  ground  instead 
of  flowing  away.  The  water  seeps  down  through  the  rock  crevices 
and  keeps  alive  the  springs  which  feed  the  summer  streams. 

When  fires  destroy  the  brush  and  trees  and  the  layer  of  humus, 
when  the  lumberman  clears  off  the  surface,  or  when  stock  trample 
and  injure  the  surface,  the  water  takes  hold  and  washes  the  soil 
away;    floods  become  worse  and  there  is  less  water  in  summer. 

2.  Great  reservoirs  must  be  built  to  hold  the  flood  waters: 
Water  sufficient  to  irrigate  many  thousand  acres  still  flows  away 
unused  to  the   ocean   after  the  heavy  winter  storms.     Many  more 


California  175 

reservoirs  must  be  built  in  order  that  all  the  valley  lands  may  be 
cultivated  and  dotted  with  homes. 

3.  The  underground  waters  must  be  used  v^^ith  care :  So  many 
wells  have  been  bored  throughout  the  valleys  and  the  water  has  been 
used  so  freely  that  the  stores  in  the  gravels  beneath  are  being  drawn 
upon  faster  than  Nature  renews  them. 

When  the  top  of  the  underground  water  layer  is  lowered,  the 
wells  have  to  be  deepened,  and  if  this  continues  the  water  after  a 
time  will  be  too  far  below  the  surface  to  be  reached.  We  must  be 
careful  about  using  this  water  carelessly  or  drilling  too  many  arte- 
sian wells  and  letting  them  flow  unchecked. 

How  has  Los  Angeles  added  to  its  water  supply? 

We  cannot  increase  the  rainfall,  and  when  we  have  used  all 
the  water  supplied  by  Nature  in  any  place,  we  shall  have  to  go 
elsewhere  for  it  if  we  wish  more.  The  city  of  Los  Angeles  once 
obtained  water  enough  for  its  needs  from  the  river  and  from  springs 
in  the  lower  end  of  the  San  Fernando  Valley. 

As  the  city  grew  this  supply  became  insufficient.  No  water 
could  be  obtained  from  other  nearby  sources,  for  all  had  been  ap- 
propriated. But  more  must  be  had  if  the  city  and  region  about  con- 
tinued to  increase  in  population. 

We  learn  in  our  history  stories  of  great  water  systems  built 
long  ago  by  the  Romans  which  carried  water  from  the  distant  hills 
to  the  cities,  but  none  equaled  that  which  has  been  built  by  the 
people  of  Los  Angeles. 

Far  to  the  north,  across  the  San  Gabriel  Range  and  the  broad 
basin  of  the  Mohave  Desert,  lies  Owens  Valley  close  under  the  east- 
ern face  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains.  Through  this  valley  flows 
a  river  of  the  same  name,  rising  in  the  melting  snows  and  glacial 
lakes  near  the  summit  of  the  mountains  and  emptying  into  the  alka- 
line waters  of  Owens  Lake. 

The  river  carries  much  more  water  than  was  used  by  the  ranch- 
ers of  the  valley,  and,  though  it  was  so  far  away,  Los  Angeles  de- 
cided to  appropriate  the  surplus.  But  how  was  it  to  be  taken  across 
the  hot  desert  and  through  the  mountains?  A  huge  cement  pipe 
was  built  so  that  the  water  could  not  waste  on  the  way  and  the 
mountains  were  pierced  by  tunnels  several  miles  long.  The  total 
length  of  the  aqueduct  in  its  winding  course  is  260  miles. 

Thus  with  infinite  labor  a  river  of  water,  sufficient  to  supply 
two  million  people,  was  brought  from  its  basin  beyond  the  moun- 
tains and  deserts  into  another  region  where  Nature  never  intended 
it  to  go. 

Are  there  any  other  rivers  that  can  be  brought  into  South- 
ern California? 

Imperial  Valley,  once  a  part  of  the  Colorado  Desert,  is  being 
transformed  into  a  garden  of  marvelous  fertility  by  means  of  water 
brought  from  the   Colorado  River. 


176  New  Progressive  Geographies 

The  Mohave  River  flows  into  the  desert  from  the  northern  slope 
of  the  San  Bernardino  Mountains,  but  it  would  necessitate  a  tun- 
nel many  miles  long  to  turn  this  back  into  the  southern  valleys. 

Since  the  coastal  slope  of  Southern  California  is  so  completely 
shut  in  on  the  land  side,  how  is  it  that  rail  and  wagon 
roads  can  reach  it? 

The  mountains  arc  not  high  and  steep  at  all  points.  There  are 
a  number  of  gaps,  or  passes,  as  they  are  commonly  called,  and  it 
is  through  these  that  the  railroads  and  wagon  roads  have  been  built. 

If  you  had  come  over  the  Santa  Fe  Trail  in  the  days  before  the 
railroad  and  had  gone  westerly  across  the  Colorado  Desert  from 
Yuma,  you  would  have  found  no  gap  in  the  Peninsula  Range,  for 
it  forms  a  continuous  barrier  between  the  desert  and  the  ocean. 
For  this  reason  it  was  not  until  many  years  later,  when  Southern 
California  had  become  thickly  settled,  that  a  railroad  was  built  from 
San  Diego  to  Yuma,  giving  direct  Eastern  connection  for  this  im- 
portant seaboard  city. 

If  you  had  gone  northwest  from  Yuma  bound  for  Los  Angeles, 
you  would,  after  having  passed  the  Salton  Salt  Marsh,  have  at  length 
climbed  upward  through  a  broad,  low  gap  until  from  a  height  of 
only  2000  feet  you  would  have  looked  down  upon  the  valley  of 
San  Bernardino.  This  is  the  San  Gorgonio  Pass  and  is  the  easiest 
of  all  the  routes  across  the  mountains.  Upon  either  hand  of  the 
pass,  like  great  guardians,  stand  the  two  lofty  peaks,  San  Gorgonio 
and  San  Jacinto. 

If  you  had  come  over  the  Spanish  Trail  across  the  Mohave  Des- 
ert, you  would  have  ascended  slowly  to  the  summit  of  the  Cajon 
Pass,  which  has  an  elevation  of  4000  feet,  and  then  have  gone  down 
the  Tejon  Canon,  which  divides  the  San  Gabriel  from  the  San  Ber- 
nardino  Range. 

If,  after  reaching  Los  Angeles,  you  had  wished  to  go  to  San 
Francisco,  you  would  have  had  the  choice  of  several  routes,  each 
one  making  use  of  low  places  in  the  mountains. 

You  could  have  followed  the  route  now  taken  by  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad  through  the  San  Fernando  Pass,  up  the  Soledad 
Cation  and  over  its  pass  to  the  Mohave  Desert.  Then  a  journey 
of  fifty  miles  across  the  desert,  followed  by  the  Tehachapi  Pass, 
would  lead  you  to  Bakersfield  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 

Or  you  could  have  followed  the  old  stage  road  farther  west. 
This  road  went  over  the  Francisquita  Pass  to  Lake  Elizabeth, 
skirted  the  desert  instead  of  crossing  it,  and  reached  Bakersfield 
by  the  Tejon  Pass. 

The  new  state  highway  between  Los  Angeles  and  Bakersfield 
follows  the  old  stage  road  much  of  the  way,  but  for  twenty  miles 
it  has  been  cut  in  the  sides  and  along  the  crest  of  a  mountain  ridge. 
This  part  is  known  as  the  "Ridge  Road"  and  forms  one  of  the  most 
scenic   automobile  highways   in    California. 

If  you  had  wished  to  avoid  the  desert  entirely  and  most  of  the 
mountains,    you    conld   have    followed    the    trail    of   the    Padre's,    the 


California  177 

King's  Highway,  or  Camino  Real,  through  San  Fernando  Valley  and 
across  the  rolling  hills  to  Ventura.  Beyond  which,  in  order  to  reach 
Santa  Barbara,  you  would  have  had  to  pass  close  to  the  ocean,  and 
perhaps  get  into  the  water  if  it  were  high  tide. 

Have  earthquakes  had  anything  to  do  with  the  making  of 
Southern  California? 

If  Southern  California  had  not  been  a  land  of  earthquakes  there 
would  have  been  no  lofty  mountains  to  condense  the  moisture  of  the 
clouds  and  supply  water  as  well  as  many  other  things  necessary  to 
the  prosperity  of  this  region. 

Long  ago  this  part  of  California  was  dotted  with  low  moun- 
tains, such  as  remain  in  the  Mohave  Desert  and  about  Riverside. 
The  whole  region  must  have  been  dry  and  barren  with  no  pictur- 
esque scenery. 

Then  there  came  a  time  of  earthquakes.  Fissures  like  those  of 
the  great  earthquake  of  1906  were  formed  in  the  earth  and  huge 
blocks  of  the  solid  earth  began  to  rise  and  take  on  the  form  of 
mountains. 

The  San  Gabriel  is  the  oldest  of  these  earthquake  mountains. 
It  is  so  old  that  the  streams  have  had  time  to  carve  a  multitude  of 
deep,  precipitous  canons  between  which  the  ridges  are  so  sharp 
that  there  is  often  little  more  room  than  required  by  a  trail.  Such 
is  the  steepness  of  the  slopes  and  the  narrowness  of  the  cations  that 
there  is  not  a  single  ranch  throughout  the  main  portion  of  the  range. 

The  San  Bernardino  Range  was  not  made  until  a  later  time. 
It  was  lifted  along  a  W'Onderful  fissure  which  we  find  extending 
through  the  orange  orchards  in  the  edge  of  the  valley.  The  line 
of  this  fissure  is  marked  by  springs,  cienegas  or  meadows,  and 
low  ridges. 

We  can  follow  this  fissure  far  to  the  northwest  until  it  con- 
nects with  the  one  that  made  the  San  Francisco  earthquake  of  1906. 
This  fissure  was  the  scene  of  a  severe  earthquake  in  1857,  when  the 
ground  opened  and  slipped,  making  ridges  and  hollows.  The  Mor- 
mon settlers,  who  had  then  recently  come  to  San  Bernardino  Val- 
ley, reported  that  the  earthquake  threw  their  horses  and  cattle  to 
the  ground. 

The  summit  of  the  San  Bernardino  Range  is  not  at  all  Uke  that 
of  the  San  Gabriel.  This  range  is  so  much  younger  that  the  streams 
have  not  yet  had  time  to  cut  deep  cafions  in  the  once  gentle  slopes. 
A  large  part  of  the  surface  of  this  lofty  region  remains  much  as  it 
was  when  it  was  a  lowland.  There  is  a  beautiful  drive  for  many 
miles  along  the  flat  top  of  the  northern  portion  of  the  range,  and 
back  of  this  are  numerous  valleys  and  green  meadows.  The  Bear 
Valley  reservoir  occupies  one  of  these  large  valleys. 

We  will  now  visit  the  San  Jacinto  Valley,  to  the  north  of  which 
rises  the  steep  slope  of  the  San  Jacinto  Mountains.  We  know  that 
this  range  was  also  formed  by  earthquakes,  for  a  fissure  extends 
along  its  base  in  the  edge  of  the  valley.  Severe  earthquakes  have 
occurred  here  since  the  valley  was  settled. 


178  New  Proc.rkssive  Geographies 

We  now  will  travel  southwesterly  across  a  country  made  up 
of  low  and  very  old  mountains  which  have  been  almost  worn  down. 
We  finally  reach  the  pretty  Temecula-Elsinore  Valley.  This  is  an 
earthquake  valley,  but  made  long  ago.  The  steep  mountain  wall, 
beginning  near  Temecula  and  ending  with  the  Santa  Ana  Moun- 
tains, many  miles  to  the  northwest,  was  made  by  earthquakes. 

Long  ago  the  region  of  the  Temecula-Elsinore  Valley  sank,  leav- 
ing a  great  mountain  wall  on  the  west.  In  a  portion  of  this  sunken 
valley  lies  Lake  Elsinore.  The  San  Jacinto  River,  which  feeds  the 
lake,  once  flowed  directly  west  to  the  ocean  across  where  now  the 
Elsinore  Mountains  rise  2000  feet  above  the  valley.  Is  it  not  strange 
and  wonderful  how  Nature  has  broken  and  changed  the  surface  of 
the  earth,  lifting  it  in  some  places  and  dropping  it  in  others? 

From  these  things  we  learn  that  the  mountain  ranges  of  South- 
ern California  are  great  blocks  of  the  earth's  crust  which  were  raised 
high  in  the  air  during  repeated  earthquakes.  We  learn  also  that 
since  their  uplift  the  mountains  have  been  much  worn  away  by  run- 
ning water,  and  that  the  newer  ones  have  gentle  upland  slopes, 
while  the  older  ones  have  sharp  ridges  and  deep,  narrow  canons. 
If  it  were  not  for  earthquakes,  then,  this  region  would  be  an  almost 
uninhabitable  waste. 

What  other  forces  have  aided  the  earthquakes  in  making  the 

scenery  of  this  region? 

The  earthquakes  made  the  lofty  mountain  ranges  somewhat  as 
they  would  appear  if  all  the  caiions  were  filled  up  and  the  tops 
of  the  ridges  smoothed  off.  The  picturesque  appearance  of  these 
mountains  as  they  rise  before  us  today  is  the  result  of  many  forces 
of  Nature  which  are  quietly  and  invisibly  working  all  about  us. 

Heat  and  cold  and  carbonic  acid  make  the  rocks  crumble  and 
turn  to  clay  and  sand.  The  waters  of  the  winter  storms  pick  up 
the  little  particles  and  carry  them  down  to  the  valleys.  They  also 
pick  up  larger  fragments  which  grind  along  the  bottom  of  the  chan- 
nels, ever  wearing  them  deeper.  Thus  the  deep  carious  and  sharp, 
jagged  peaks  have  been  made. 

Mounts  San  Gorgonio  and  San  Bernardino  form  the  highest  land 
in  Southern  California.  Upon  their  northern  slopes  there  were  once 
small  glaciers.  These  glaciers  were  the  most  southerly  ones  which 
ever  existed  in  the  United  States.  They  have  left  two  little  lakes 
and  long  ridges  of  loose  rock  called  moraines  to  show  that  they  were 
once  here.  This  loose  rock  holds  vast  quantities  of  water,  giving  rise 
to  the  great  springs  which  form  the  chief  source  of  the  summer 
flow  of  the  Santa  Ana  River. 

Long  ago  there  were  volcanoes  in  Southern  California,  but  the 
lava  has  mostly  decayed  and  been  washed  away.  A  remnant  of 
lava  is  still  to  be  seen  upon  the  Santa  Rosa  Plateau  west  of  Te- 
mecula, where  it  forms  a  peculiar  table  mountain. 

What  mineral  deposits  has   Southern  California? 

The  two  most  important  mineral  products  of  California  are 
quite  unlike.     The  first  discovered  was  gold,  which  is  found  in  many 


California  179 

parts  of  the  higher  mountains.  The  second  is  petroleum,  which  is 
found  in  the  lower  mountains  and  hills  and  sometimes  in  the  valleys. 

The  oil  deposits  of  Southern  California  are  found  in  two  belts. 
One  extends  from  Fullerton,  past  Whittier  to  Los  Angeles  and  west 
toward  Santa  Monica.  The  other  extends  nearly  the  whole  length 
of  the  Santa  Clara  Valley  in  Ventura  County. 

The  oil  is  so  deeply  hidden  in  the  earth  that,  although  springs 
of  thick  oil,  often  called  brea,  have  been  known  from  the  earliest 
days,  it  was  many  years  before  it  was  found  in  large  quantities. 
Thus  Nature,  having  given  this  region  small  supplies  of  wood,  and 
only  one  coal  deposit,  that  at  Elsinore,  has  more  than  made  up  for 
the  lack  of  other  fuels  in  the  vast  stores  of  oil. 

The  dark,  thick  oil  is  best  for  fuel  purposes  and  is  obtained 
from  the  shallower  wells.  Some  of  the  wells  are  4000  feet  deep 
and  the  oil  from  these  is  light  and  thin.  The  gas  which  accompan- 
ies the  oil  is  used  for  lighting  as  well  as  for  running  machinery. 

The  light  oil  is  best  suited  for  refining.  From  it  is  produced 
gasoline  and  the  clear  petroleum  which  is  used  in  lamps.  The  heavy 
residues  from  refining  are  used  for  innumerable  purposes,  such  as 
lubricating  machinery,  and  making  paraffine  and  dyes. 

Near  Los  Angeles  is  a  large  area  covered  with  springs  and 
pools  of  thick,  tar-like  oil  or  brea.  These  springs  have  existed  for 
thousands  of  years,  and  contain  a  most  wonderful  record  of  the 
animals  and  birds  that  formerly  inhabited  California. 

Attracted  by  the  salty  water,  large  numbers  of  animals  and 
birds  fell  or  were  crowded  into  the  tar,  where  they  died.  This  tar 
preserved  their  skeletons  in  a  remarkably  perfect  condition.  Thou- 
sands of  specimens  belonging  to  hundreds  of  different  species  have 
been  dug  out  and  arranged  for  study. 

The  first  placer  gold  known  in  California  w^as  found  in  the  moun- 
tains north  of  the  upper  Santa  Clara  River  near  the  stage  road  run- 
ning from  Bakersfield  to  Los  Angeles. 

Gold-bearing  quartz  veins  have  been  worked  in  many  parts  of 
the  Sierra  Madre  Mountains  and  in  the  Peninsula  Range. 

Other  minerals  of  value  in  various  industries  are  scattered 
through  the  mountains.  At  Colton  is  a  hill  of  limestone  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  quick-lime  and  cement.  In  Riverside  County  are  beds 
of  clay  used  in  making  an  excellent  quality  of  sewer  pipe.  Another 
quality  of  clay  or  kaolin  found  here  is  suitable  for  pottery  and  porcelain. 

In  Riverside  County  there  are  also  deposits  of  asbestos,  talc 
and  other  minerals.  In  San  Diego  County  are  found  beautiful  tour- 
malines, valu£,ble  for  jewelry. 

Wnat  fonr  sorts  of  slopes  has  Southern  California,  each  with 
its  own  soil,  climate  and  productions? 

1.  The  mountains  and  highland  valleys:  The  mountain  slopes 
are  usually  steep  and  rocky  and  but  few  people  live  upon  them. 
The  valleys,  which  are  above  4000  feet,  are  most  numerous  in  the 
San  Bernardino  Range.  They  are  too  cold  for  profitable  farming 
and  are  used  as  pasture  lands. 


180 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


The  mountain  valleys  from  4000  feet  down  to  1500  feet  are  nu- 
merous in  San  Diego  and  Riverside  Counties.  They  support  many 
people  who  gain  a  livelihood  from  raising  stock,  grain  and  decidu- 
ous fruits,  among  w^hich  the  apple  is  the  most  important. 

2.     The  mesas  and  slopes  about  the  bases  of  the   mountains: 

All  about  the  bases  of  the  mountains  are  broad,  gently  inclined 
slopes  which  from  a  distance  appear  as  even  as  a  plain.  Pasadena 
is  built  upon  a  slope  of  this  kind  which  extends  along  the  base  of 
the  mountains  all  around  the  northern  and  eastern  sides  of  the  Los 
Angeles-San  Bernardino  Valley.  We  travel  over  this  slope  in  going 
from  Pasadena  to  San  Bernardino. 

Back  of  San  Bernardino  and  Redlands  the  streams  have  car- 
ried away  the  lower  parts  of  these  slopes,  so  that  they  have  the 
appearance  of  mesas  lying  against  the  mountains. 

These  lands  have  a  gentle,  even  slope,  because  they  were  built 
up  by  water  and  are  found  always  in  regions  of  light  rainfall.  The 
torrential  streams  of  winter  coming  down  through  the  mountain 
canons  loaded  with  rock  fragments  spread  out  upon  reaching  the 
valleys  and  drop  the  greater  part  of  their  burdens. 

The  name  debris  fan  is  often  given  to  a  deposit  built  up  in  this 
manner.  If  you  will  stop  and  think  how  deltas  are  formed,  you  will 
see  that  a  debris  fan  is  really  one  kind  of  a  delta.     Many  such  debris 


A  wonderful  spring  which  helps  to  keep  up  the  summer  flow  of  the  Santa  Ana 

River.     The  water  issues  from  elacial  gravels  on  north 

slope  of  S^"  Goreonio, 


California 


181 


fans  or  cones  joined  together  make  the  great  plain  of  which  we  are 
speaking,  which  lies  about  the  bases  of  the  mountains. 

If  you  could  visit  the  Tejunga  River  as  it  flows  through  the  San 
Fernando  Valley  in  time  of  flood,  you  would  see  how  the  streams 
build  up  these  debris  fans.  They  wander  here  and  there  without 
any  banks,  cutting  away  the  gravel  in  one  place,  building  it  up  in 
another,  spreading  out  sometimes  a  mile   or  more  in  width. 

The  soil  of  these  slopes  and  mesas  is  usually  a  sandy  or  grav- 
elly loam,  well  drained  and  very  fertile.  Their  soil  and  climate  are 
suited  to  growing  the  best  and  sweetest  oranges,  and  so  we  find 
upon  them  the  most  extensive  groves  in  Southern  California.  They 
are  more  free  from  frost  than  the  lower  land  along  the  streams,  and 
are  for  that  reason  much  sought  after. 

3.  The  hills  and  mountain  valleys  below  1500  feet:  There  are 
large  areas  of  land,  including  southern  Ventura  County,  parts  of  the 
San  Fernando,  Temecula-Elsinore,  Ferris,  San  Jacinto  and  other 
valleys,  which  are  better  adapted  to  diversified  farming.  In  these 
we  find  orchards  of  both  citrus  and  deciduous  fruits,  large  grain- 
fields  and  thousands  of  cattle. 

4.  The  lowland  valleys  and  coastal  region :  The  bottom  lands 
along  the  streams  are  more  frosty  than  those  of  the  two  divisions 
which  have  just  been  described.  They  are  especially  suited  to  dairy- 
ing, the  growing  of  alfalfa  and  sugar  beets.  A  large  sugar  factory 
is  located  at  Chino.  Corn  and  all  sorts  of  vegetables  do  well  upon 
these  lands. 

The  lowlands  of  the  coastal  region  form  one  of  the  most  impor- 


Celery  field  on  the  rich  bottom  land  of  the  Los  Angeles  plain. 


182  New  Progressive  Geographies 

taut   bean-growing  districts  of  our   country.     The   soil   is   a  sandy 
loam  and  is  also  suited  to  sugar  beets. 

Along  the  coast  south  of  Los  Angeles  the  soil  contains  much 
humus  and  is  known  as  peat  land.  Here  are  grown  valuable  crops 
of  celery  and  asparagus. 

How  Southern  California  looked  when  the  ocean  stood  higher 
than  it  does  now. 

On  the  slopes  of  San  Pedro  Hill,  which  rises  all  alone  upon  the 
coast  southwest  of  Los  Angeles,  there  are  ancient  ocean  cliffs,  the 
highest  of  which  is  1200  feet  above  the  present  ocean.  Since  most 
of  the  valleys  of  this  region  are  not  as  high  as  that,  they  must  have 
been  submerged  at  the  time  the  waves  beat  against  this  cliff,  and 
the  geography  must  have  been  very  different  from  what  it  is  now. 

We  will  take  the  inclined  railway  back  of  Pasadena  and  ascend 
to  Mt.  Lowe,  from  which  point  we  look  over  a  great  stretch  of  coun- 
try. Upon  a  summer  morning  when  the  fog  covers  all  the  lowlands, 
we  can  form  a  picture  of  how  the  country  looked  when  it  was  sub- 
merged 1200  feet  by  imagining  the  fog  with  its  waves  to  represent 
the  ocean. 

On  the  north  and  northeast  the  San  Gabriel  and  San  Bernar- 
dino Ranges  rise  boldly  above  the  fog.  On  the  east  of  this  great 
bay  of  fog  appears  San  Jacinto  and  other  scattering  mountains.  On 
the  southeast  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains  rise  all  alone  with  a  bay 
of  fog  behind  them.  On  the  west  the  Santa  Monica  Range  appears 
as  a  long  ridge,  while  the  San  Fernando  Valley  forms  a  great  cir- 
cular bay  open  to  the  ocean  through  the  canon  of  the  Los  An- 
geles River. 

What  valley  is  that  across  which  we  look  from  Mt.  Lowe? 

As  the  fog  disappears  we  look  over  a  vast  lowland  region 
stretching  from  the  ocean  eastward  to  the  base  of  the  San  Ber- 
nardino Range.  In  the  middle  of  this  lowland  and  dividing  it  into 
two  parts  appear  the  broad  and  low  Puente  Hills  stretching  away 
to  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains. 

The  western  part  of  this  lowland,  extending  from  the  City  of 
Los  Angeles  south  and  west  to  the  ocean,  is  the  Valley  of  Los 
Angeles,  sometimes  called  the  Plain  of  Los  Angeles  because  of  its 
smooth  and  even  surface. 

The  eastern  part  of  the  lowland  lying  beyond  the  Puente  Hills 
is  the  San  Bernardino  Valley.  It  contains  a  number  of  isolated 
peaks,  while  branching  valleys  extend  away  to  the   south. 

The  two  valleys  are  connected  by  the  broad,  gentle  slope  along 
the  base  of  the  San  Gabriel  Range  and  by  the  Cafion  of  the  Santa 
Ana  River.  Because  the  hills  which  divide  this  region  into  two 
parts  are  low,  and  the  mountains  which  surround  it  are  high,  we 
speak  of  it  as  one  great  valley,  calling  it  the  Los  Angeles  -  San 
Bernardino  Valley. 


California 


183 


How  is  this  valley  watered? 

Our  study  of  California  has  already  taught  us  that  we  cannot 
tell  how  large  a  stream  is  by  the  area  of  its  basin.  The  amount  of 
water  which  it  carries  is  dependent  far  more  upon  the  position, 
height  and  extent  of  the  mountains  in  which  it  takes  its   rise. 

The  Santa  Ana  has  not  only  the  largest  basin  of  any  river  in 
Southern  California,  but  it  also  has  the  advantage  of  rising  in  the 
highest  mountains.  Its  summer  flow  is  much  increased  by  large 
springs  in  the  glacial  gravels  on  the  north  slope  of  San  Gorgonio 
and  San  Bernardino  Peaks  and  also  by  summer  thunderstorms  which 
at  times  are  very  heavy.  Bear  Valley  Reservoir,  one  of  the  largest 
in  Southern  California,  is  also  tributary  to  the  Santa  Ana  River. 

The  Santa  A*na  River  supplies  water  for  irrigating  the  exten- 
sive orange  groves  about  Redlands  and  Riverside.  Between  the  point 
where  the  river  breaks  through  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains  and  the 
ocean,  it  splits  up  into  a  number  of  channels  which  are  dry  most 
of  the  year,  although  an  abundance  of  water  can  be  obtained  from 
shallow  wells  dug  in  the  channels. 

The  San  Gabriel  is  the  next  most  important  river.  It  rises 
in  the  highest  peaks  of  the  San  Gabriel  Range,  but  it  also  is  dry 
long  before  reaching  the  ocean.  The  river  carries  a  great  volume 
of  water  after  the  winter  storms,  but  it  flows  through  such  deep, 
narrow  canons  that  no  reservoirs  have  yet  been  built  to  save  its 
flood   waters. 


An  ostrich  farm  near  Los  Angeles. 


184  New  Progressive  Geographies 

The  Tejunga  River,  which  furnished  most  of  the  water  for  the 
City  of  Los  Angeles  before  the  building  of  the  great  aqueduct,  is 
a  most  curious  stream.  It  rises  in  the  San  Gabriel  Range  and  flows 
west  into  the  San  Fernando  Valley,  where,  during  most  of  the  year, 
it  sinks  in  its  sandy  bed.  At  the  lower  end  of  the  valley  it  reap- 
pears as  springs  and  below  these  is  known  as  the  Los  Angeles  River. 

The  bed  of  a  river  which  is  dry  throughout  most  of  the  year 
and  contains  water  only  during  times  of  flood  is  called  a  wash. 
All  streams  of  desert  and  semi-desert  regions  have  channels  of  this 
kind,  marked  by  lines  of  pebbles  and  boulders.  The  wash  has  usu- 
ally no  distinct  channel  or  banks,  for  its  bed  is  often  above  the 
level  of  the  adjacent  country.  Such  a  torrential  stream  is  difficult 
for  railroads  to  bridge  because  the  waters  are  as  likely  to  flow  in 
one  place  as  in  another. 

The  three  rivers  which  we  have  mentioned  flow  across  the 
Plain  of  Los  Angeles  in  channels  which  branch  here  and  there  and 
are  forever  changing  like  those  of  the  deltas  of  the  Mississippi  and 
Colorado  Rivers. 

How  is  it  that  the  Tejunga  furnishes  much  less  water  in  sum- 
mer than  it  ought? 

Many  square  miles  of  the  mountain  basin  of  the  Tejunga  River 
have  been  burned  over.  Where  once  there  was  a  pine  forest  now 
appears  chaparral.  The  bed  of  the  stream  is  exposed  to  the  hot 
sun  instead  of  being  shaded,  so  that  a  large  part  of  the  summer 
flow  is  evaporated  in  the  air. 

What  determined  the  site  of  the  Pueblo  of  Los  Angeles? 

Portola,  in  the  journey  northward  which  resulted  in  the  dis- 
covery of  San  Francisco  Bay,  passed  the  spot  where  Los  Angeles 
now  stands.  Some  time  later,  in  the  year  1781,  the  place  being 
thought  a  favorable  one  for  a  settlement,  a  party  of  colonists  was 
brought  from  Mexico.  The  chief  object  in  making  a  settlement  here 
was  the  raising  of  provisions  for  the  soldiers  in  the  presidios. 

An  abundance  of  water  in  the  Los  Angeles  River  at  the  point 
where  it  breaks  through  the  east  end  of  the  Santa  Monica  Range, 
and  the  broad,  fertile  plain  spreading  out  to  the  south  and  west, 
were  the  two  things  which  determined  the  position  of  the  new  set- 
tlement. It  is  not  likely  that  the  founders  saw  in  the  location  any 
particular  advantages  for  a  great  city,  such  as  has  sprung  up  here, 
but  rather  the  immediate  needs  of  a  young  colony. 

What   are   the  advantages   as   well   as   disadvantages   in   the 

situation  of  Los  Angeles? 

There  were  many  things  about  the  situation  of  Los  Angeles 
which  favored  the  growth  of  the  little  pueblo  into  an  important 
place,  when  at  last  the  attention  of  people  began  to  be  directed 
toward  Southern  California  and  settlers  commenced  to  come  in. 

The  first  of  these  advantages  was  its  convenience  of  access  from 
all  parts  of  the  south.  It  was  on  the  King's  Highway  from  San 
Diego  to  the  North  Coast  Missions  and  settlements.     In  fact,  no  one 


Califorx  1A 


185 


could  go  northward  without  passing  by  Los  Angeles.  The  Cahuenga 
Pass  to  the  northwest  of  the  Pueblo  and  the  Canon  of  the  Los  An- 
geles River  on  the  north  offered  the  only  two  convenient  routes  to 
the  San  Fernando  Valley.  From  this  valley  two  ways  led  north- 
ward— the  King's  Highway 
by  way  of  the  coast  valleys, 
and  the  other  across  the 
mountains  and  desert  to  the 
San  Joaquin  Valley. 

All  emigrants  from  the 
East  coming  by  way  of 
Southern  California  had  first 
to  go  to  Los  Angeles  if  they 
washed  to  reach  the  mines. 
Los  Angeles  w^as,  then,  the 
terminus  of  both  the  Santa 
Fe  Trail  by  way  of  Yuma 
and  the  Colorado  Desert, 
and  the  Spanish  Trail  which 
led  across  the  Mohave  Des- 
ert and  through  the  Cajon 
Pass  to  the  Valley  of  San 
Bernardino.  From  the  lat- 
ter place  the  traveler  could 
follow  either  the  broad  slope 
along  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tains past  the  Mission  of 
San  Gabriel  or  continue 
down  the  Santa  Ana  River 
through  the  mountains  to 
the  Plain  of  Los  Angeles. 

Los  Angeles  was,  even 
in  the  early  days,  an  impor- 
tant meeting  place  for  all 
the  trails  and  roads  of  this 
region.  For  this  reason  it 
A  scene  in  the  business  district  of  was  also  an  important  trad- 

Los  Angeles.  ing  point. 

There  were,  however,  disadvantages  in  the  situation  of  Los 
Angeles.  It  Avas  not  on  any  navigable  stream,  nor  had  it  any  conven- 
ient water  power  before  the  days  of  electricity.  Its  most  important 
disadvantage  was  its  situation,  sixteen  miles  inland  from  the  sea.  A 
situation  on  the  sea  was  particularly  important  in  the  early  days, 
when  all  freight  and  much  of  the  travel  had  to  come  by  water.  San 
Diego  and  Monterey  were  much  better  ofif  in  this  regard,  but  they 
were  not  on  important  land  routes  nor  centrally  located. 

Why  has  Los  Angeles  outgrown  the  other  cities  of  Southern 
CaHfornia? 
The   central  location  of   Los  Angeles  and  the  ease   with  which 


186 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


it  could  be  reached,  which  were  important  thhigs  in  the  early  days, 
have  also  been  the  chief  causes  of  its  growth  in  later  years. 

The  railroads  when  they  came  naturally  followed  the  easiest 
routes,  which  were  those  of  the  old  trails.  They  also  found  the 
terminus  of  the  trails  their  most  convenient  terminus,  and  so  the 
town  became  an  important  railroad  center.  For  this  reason  it  be- 
came the  business  and  commercial  center  of  the  whole  region. 

Every  one  of  the  old  trails  has  been  followed  by  a  railroad  ex- 
cept the  stage  route  from  Los  Angeles  to  Bakersfield,  and  it  is  cer- 
tain that  in  time  a  railroad  will  follow  this  route  a  part  of  the  way. 

The  Southern  Pacific  came  across  the  Colorado  Desert  and 
through  the  San  Gorgonio  Pass.  The  Santa  Fe  and  Salt  Lake  Rail- 
roads came  by  w^ay  of  the  Cajon  Pass  and  San  Bernardino.  The 
Santa  Fe  followed  the  old  route  down  the  coast  to  San  Diego. 
The  Southern  Pacific  went  north  across  the  mountains  and  desert 
to  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  and  up  the  coast  near  the  path  of  the 
King's  Highway. 

How  did  Los  Angeles  become  a  seaport? 

As  Los  Angeles  grew  in  commercial  importance  it  began  to  feel 
the  need  of  a  port  on  the  sea.  Sixteen  miles  to  the  southwest  lay 
the  little  harbor  of  San  Pedro  which  could  be  entered  only  by  small 
coasting  vessels. 

To  make  it  possible  for  large  boats  to  discharge  cargoes  there 


A  scene  in  the  residence  district  of  Los  Angeles. 


California  187 

in  safety,  the  Government  has  built  a  great  breakwater  two  miles 
long.  Thus  there  has  been  created  an  artificial  outer  harbor,  com- 
modious and  safe,  in  addition  to  the  natural  inner  harbor,  which 
is  being  enlarged  and  deepened. 

Los  Angeles  has  become  a  deep-water  port  and  can  compete 
with  other  cities  in  foreign  commerce.  It  has  become  a  port,  not 
by  moving  sixteen  miles  to  the  ocean,  nor  by  digging  a  canal  and 
bringing  the  ocean  to  itself,  but  by  simply  enlarging  its  boundaries 
to  take  in  San  Pedro. 

What  other  causes  have  aided  in  making  Los  Angeles  one 
of  the  two  largest  cities  in  California? 

Los  Angeles  lies  in  the  midst  of  an  agricultural  and  fruit-grow- 
ing district  of  great  extent  and  remarkable  fertility.  Upon  all  sides 
lie  broad  valleys  of  the  richest  soil  which  are  becoming  more  highly 
cultivated  and  densely  populated  each  year.  Los  Angeles  is  the 
natural  center  for  supplies  and  for  shipping  fruit  and  other  products. 

Los  Angeles  and  the  region  about  it  has  become  renowned  all 
over  the  United  States  for  its  mild  and  agreeable  climate.  Every 
winter  sees  Southern  California  filled  with  visitors.  Many  of  these 
people  buy  land  and  make  their  homes  there.  This  has  been  one  of 
the  most  important  reasons  for  the  rapid  growth  of  Los  Angeles. 

How  is  it  that  Los  Angeles,  which  remained  an  unimportant 
place  for  so  long  after  San  Francisco  became  a  great 
city,  suddenly  began  to  grow  rapidly  and  in  a  few  years 
became  its  rival? 

As  we  have  already  learned.  Southern  California  was  too  remote 
from  the  mines  to  be  much  afifected  by  the  early  emigration.  After 
the  railroads  came,  and  it  was  shown  that  this  apparently  dry  region  ' 
really  had  a  large  supply  of  water,  and  was  well  suited  to  the  grow- 
ing of  citrus  fruits,  and  that  it  had  in  addition  a  mild  and  agree- 
able climate  and  attractive  scenery,  then  the  tide  of  emigration 
turned  in  this  direction. 

No  city  in  our  country,  except  San  Francisco  during  the  gold 
excitement,  ever  grew  so  rapidly  as  Los  Angeles.  It  became  the 
goal  of  thousands  of  people  who  wished  to  escape  the  cold  winters 
of  the  northern  states.  It  has  been  the  visitors  and  the  settling 
up  of  the  rich  surrounding  valleys  rather  than  its  commercial  inter- 
ests that  have  made  Los  Angeles  a  great  city.  For  this  reason  it 
is  a  more  desirable  place  for  a  home  than  is  a  city  whose  importance 
is  based  upon  manufacturing. 

The  industries  and  trade  of  Los  Angeles. 

The  manufacturing  industries  and  foreign  commerce  are  of  less 
importance  than  those  of  San  Francisco,  because,_  as  we  have  seen, 
the  growth  of  the  city  has  been  due  to  other  things. 

Los  Angeles  has,  however,  trade  and  manufacturing  interests 
which  are  growing  in  importance.     This  growth  is  due  to  the  in- 


188  Xew  Progressive  Geographies 

crease  in  population  of  all  Southern  California,  to  the  unhmited 
supplies  of  petroleum  and  natural  gas  for  fuel  and  power,  and  to 
the  making  of  the  deep-water  harbor  at  San  Pedro. 

Los  Angeles  is  the  only  city  in  our  country  that  has  an  oil  field 
within  its  limits.  Hundreds  of  wells  were  at  one  time  in  operation 
in  a  thickly  settled  residence  district. 

For  what  is  Los  Angeles  particularly  noted? 

Los  Angeles  is  noted,  first  of  all,  for  its  climate.  Its  center  is 
sixteen  miles  from  the  ocean,  so  that  it  occupies  an  intermediate 
position  between  the  cool  sea  shore  and  the  hot  interior. 

Los  Angeles  is  noted  for  the  bustle  and  activity  of  its  streets, 
and  the  energy  of  its  people.  The  business  section  is  now  dotted 
with  huge  office  buildings  or  "skyscrapers,"  which  have  taken  the 
place  of  the  smaller  buildings  of  earlier  days. 

The  city  has  an  excellent  system  of  parks,  covering  in  all  about 
4000  acres.  The  largest  of  these  is  Griffith  Park,  which  lies  in  the 
picturesque  hills  upon  the  northern  border.  Elysian  is  another  large 
park  and  is  given  over  to  raising  wild  plants  of  all  sorts. 

The  mountain  and  seaside  resorts  reached  from  Los  Angeles. 

A  short  ride  takes  one  to  Pasadena  and  the  foot  of  the  San  Ga- 
briel Range,  from  whence  an  inclined  railway  ascends  to  a  pleasant 
summer  resort  on  a  lofty  spur  of  the  mountains.  Not  far  away  is 
Mt.  Lowe  and  its  noted  astronomical  observatory. 

An  hour's  ride  to  the  south  brings  one  to  Long  Beach,  an  im- 
portant city  which  owes  its  beginnings  and  rapid  growth  to  the 
attractions  offered  by  its  fine  beach.  The  city  is  now  developing 
important  manufacturing  industries. 

To  the  west  is  the  picturesque  city  of  Santa  Monica,  on  Santa 
Monica  Bay.  Immediately  adjoining  on  the  south  are  the  important 
summer  resorts  of  Ocean  Park  and  Venice,  where  during  the  height 
of  the  summer  the  beach  presents  one  of  the  most  picturesque  scenes 
imaginable.  Still  farther  along  the  beach  toward  the  southward  is 
Redonda,   another  attractive   resort. 

Why  are  the  lands  about  Los  Angeles  so  fertile? 

Long  ago  the  Plain  of  Los  Angeles  and  the  adjacent  valleys 
were  beneath  the  sea.  The  mountain  streams  brought  mud  and  sand 
and  the  currents  spread  these  over  the  bottom.  When  the  land  rose 
and  the  sea  was  pushed  back  to  where  it  is  today,  a  rich  layer  of 
earth  covered  the  whole  valley  region. 

Back  of  the  new  shore  line  the  land  was  low  and  marshy,  with 
here  and  there  little  lakes  such  as  we  now  see,  in  which  grew  tules 
and  other  water  plants.  These  marshes  after  a  time  became  the 
peat  lands,  which  grow  luxuriant  crops  of  celery  and  asparagus, 

A  large  part  of  the  vegetables  and  berries  for  the  city  market 
are  grown  upon  the  lowland  along  the  Los  Angeles  River,  where 
there  is  rich  alluvial  soil  and  plenty  of  water. 


California 


189 


What  has  made  Pasadena  the  most  famed  winter  resort  in 
our  country? 

Pasadena  is  situated 
upon  a  gently  sloping'  plain 
at  the  foot  of  the  steep  and 
rugged  San  Gabriel  Range. 
Its  situation  gives  it  a  most 
agreeable  and  healthful  cli- 
mate. It  is  protected  from 
the  desert  winds  and  its  ele- 
vation of  800  feet  places  it 
above  the  winter  fogs  which 
settle  in  the  lowlands.  It 
is  less  frosty  in  winter  and 
cooler  in  summer  than  the 
lower  valleys. 

For  many  years  after 
San  Francisco  grew  to  be  a 
great  city,  the  land  on  which 
Pasadena  stands  continued 
to  be  a  cattle  and  sheep 
range.  When  the  winter 
visitors  began  to  come,  the 
value  of  this  picturesque 
location  was  seen  and  a 
town  sprang  up.  Today 
Pasadena  is  a  beautiful 
city  with  its  shaded  streets 
and  comfortable  homes  set 
among  lawns  and  flower 
gardens.  On  the  new  year 
there  is  held  a  pageant  and 
San  Pedro  Harbor.  Aower  festival. 

The  country  from  Pasadena  to  San  Bernardino. 

Continuing  eastward  along  the  base  of  the  mountains  toward 
San  Bernardino  we  pass  a  continuous  succession  of  orchards  with 
here  and  there  a  vineyard.  Flourishing  towns  are  scattered  thickly 
along  the  route.     The  largest  of  these  is  Pomona. 

The  Valley  of  San  Bernardino. 

The  first  settlers  of  this  valley  were  Mormon  emigrants  from 
Utah  who  were  attracted  by  the  extensive  meadows  near  where  the 
city  now  stands.  The  Santa  Ana  River  flows  through  the  lower  end 
of  the  valley,  which  is  circular  in  shape.  San  Bernardino  is  situated 
in  the  center,  while  orange  groves  extend  away  toward  the  moun- 
tains in  almost  every  direction. 


190 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


What  has  made  Redlands  and  Riverside  famous? 

Wherever  the  navel  orange  has  gone,  there  we  hear  Riverside 
and  Redlands  spoken  of.  It  has  made  all  this  part  of  California 
famous  and  every  visitor  wants  to  see  the  place  where  it  originated. 

Both  cities  are  well  built  and  attractive.  They  are  especially 
noted  for  the  beautiful  drives  which  extend  out  into  the  country  in 
every  direction.  The  broad  avenues  are  lined  with  different  kinds 
of  trees,  including  palms,  while  back  of  them  lie  groves  of  orange, 
pomelo  and  lemon  trees,  among  which  nestle  pretty  homes. 

From  the  top  of  Mt.  Rubidoux,  near  Riverside,  we  can  get  a  good 
idea  of  the  geography  of  the  valleys  through  which  the  Santa  Ana 
River  flows.  Here  and  there  appear  barren  granite  mountains,  con- 
trasting strangely  with  the  green  orange  groves  upon  the  smooth, 
fertile  slopes  about  their  bases.  If  it  is  winter,  the  blossoming 
trees  make  an  interesting  picture  with  the  snow-covered  mountains 
in  the  background. 

The  San  Jacinto,  Perris  and  Elsinore-Temecula  Valleys. 

These  are  three  interesting  valleys,  which  lie  between  earth- 
quake mountains.  The  San  Jacinto,  a  very  curious  river,  drains 
these  valleys.  It  rises  in  the  lofty  San  Jacinto  Mountains,  but  sinks 
below  the  town  of  San  Jacinto  at  the  lower  end  of  the  valley. 

A  short  distance   to  the  west  the  river  rises  again  and   during 


An  avenue,  Pasadena. 


California 


191 


the  rainy  season  flows  on  through  Ferris  Valley  to  Lake  Elsinore. 
The  climate  is  so  dry  now  that  this  lake  rarely  overflows,  but  long 
ago  it  was  much  wetter  and  a  river  ran  out  of  the  lake  down  the 
Temescal  Valley  to  the  Santa  Ana.  How  the  earthquakes  made  the 
Elsinore  Mountains  and  the  lake  and  turned  the  river  away  from 
its  course  to  the  ocean  is  a  story  of  which  we  have  already  heard 
something. 

The  three  valleys  of  which  we  are  speaking  are  not  too  high  for 
oranges,  which  do  well  in  parts  of  them,  but  the  deciduous  fruits 
are  more  extensively  grown.  These  include  pears,  peaches,  apricots 
and  plums.  Many  olives  are  grown  in  the  Temecula-Elsinore  Val- 
ley. Ferris  Valley  is  largely  devoted  to  grain  and  alfalfa,  while  fruit, 
alfalfa  and  grain  are  grown  in  the  San  Jacinto  Valley. 

Why  is  the  Santa  Ana  region  so  rich  and  productive? 

The  city  of  Santa  Ana  is  situated  upon  the  southern  part  of  the 
Flain  of  Los  Angeles  in  the  midst  of  a  rich  and  fertile  district,  wa- 
tered by  the  Santa  Ana  River. 

This  region  has  been  the  delta  of  the  Santa  Ana  River  for  thou- 
sands of  years.  The  alluvial  soil  is  deep  and  an  abundance  of  water 
is  obtained  at  a  slight  depth. 

Upon  the  higher  lands  of  the  district,  oranges,  lemons  and  olives 
are  grown.     On  the  lowlands  are  orchards  of  walnuts,  fields  of  corn 


Mission  Inn,  Riverside. 


192 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


and  alfalfa.     Nearer  the  coast,  where  it  is  cooler  and  moister,  are 
extensive  fields  of  lima  beans,  sugar  beets,  celery  and  asparagus. 

W'hy  has  the  growth  of  San  Diego  been  much  slower  than 
that  of  Los  Angeles  or  San  Francisco? 

San  Francisco  became  a  great  city  almost  in  a  night  because 
it  had  a  good  harbor  and  was  near  the  gold  mines  with  which  it 
had  direct  and  easy  communication.  It  was  the  natural  center  for 
the  distribution  of  supplies  and  the  starting  point  for  the  mines  of 
all  those  who  came  to  California  by  water. 

A  generation  later  Los  Angeles,  almost  as  quickly,  became  a 
city  and  a  rival  of  San  Francisco.  This  sudden  growth  was  due 
to  the  coming  of  the  railroads,  to  the  central  location,  and  the  attrac- 
tions of  a  mild  and  healthful  climate. 

San  Diego  is  situated  upon  a  bay  of  the  same  name  in  the  ex- 
treme southern  part  of  California.  Although  having  the  second  best 
harbor  upon  the  coast,  it  remained  an  unimportant  place  for  many 
years.  This  was  due  in  part  to  its  lack  of  a  central  location,  in  part 
to  the  difficulty  of  building  a  railroad  across  the  mountains  which 
lay  behind  it  and  thus  obtaining  direct  connection  with  the  East, 
and  partly  to  the  belief  that  the  country  around  the  Bay  of  San 
Diego  was  dry  and  worthless,  with  little  water  for  irrigation. 

What  finally  led  to  the  growth  of  San  Diego  and  the  settle- 
ment of  the  surrounding  country? 

The  good  harbor  was  of  little  use  to  San  Diego  until  a  railroad 
came  and  connected  it  with  the  outside  world  by  land,  so  that  peo- 
ple could  reach  the  place  easily,  become  acquainted  with  the  pleas- 
ant climate  and  discover  the  fertility  of  the  dry  lands  when  water 
was  taken  to  them. 

The  country  east  of  San  Diego  rises  through  many  valleys  to 
the  summit  of  the  broad  Peninsula  Range  with  its  heavy  rainfall 
and  forests  of  pine.     Beyond  the  mountains  lie  the  Colorado  Desert, 


Chula  Vista  grammar  school  near  San  Diego. 


California  193 

and  Imperial  Valley.  Although  one  branch  of  the  old  Santa  Fe 
Trail  led  over  these  mountains,  yet  it  was  some  years  after  Los 
Angeles  had  railroads  before  an  attempt  was  made  to  build  a  rail- 
road across  them  because  of  the  absence  of  any  easy  pass  like  the 
San  Gorgonio.  A  railroad  has  now  been  completed  across  the  Pen- 
insula Range  through  Imperial  Valley  to  Yuma,  so  that  the  city  has 
finally  secured  a  direct  eastern  outlet. 

The  first  railroad  that  reached  San  Diego  came  by  way  of  San 
Bernardino,  Elsinore  and  the  Temecula  Cafion,  because  this  was 
the  easiest  route.  Finally  a  line  was  built  directly  down  the  coast 
following  the  trail  of  the  Padres.  The  coast  lands  were  found  to 
be  so  rough  that  many  difficulties  were  encountered  in  its  building. 
For  the  first  few  miles  the  line  south  of  San  Juan  Capistrano  has 
taken  advantage  of  a  strip  of  sandy  beach  underneath  lofty  cliffs. 
This  was  made  possible  because  the  coast  has  recently  risen  a  few 
feet,  so  that  the  waves  no  longer  beat  against  the  old  cliff. 

With  the  railroad  came  winter  visitors  who  found  at  San  Diego 
a  remarkably  mild  winter  and  summer  climate.  Great  hotels  were 
built,  the  finest  being  upon  the  peninsula  in  front  of  the  bay.  Upon 
the  ocean  side  of  the  hotel  is  fine  surf  bathing,  while  upon  the  other 
side  are  the  quiet  waters  of  the  bay,  suitable  for  boating. 

Mission  Valley,  like  many  others  that  cut  through  the  mesa 
lying  between  the  mountains  and  the  ocean,  has  been  cultivated  since 
the  days  of  the  Padres.  As  the  population  grew  in  numbers  and  the 
need  of  water  increased,  it  was  found  that,  by  building  reservoirs 
in  the  mountains  to  retain  the  heavy  rainfall  on  these  high  lands, 
an  abundance  of  water  could  be  had. 

When  canals  had  been  dug  and  water  supplied  to  the  mesas, 
whose  desert-like  character  had  given  the  country  a  forbidding  ap- 
pearance, they  proved  to  be  rich  and  productive. 

Easy  means  of  access  by  steamer  or  cars,  a  delightful   climate 


Mt.  San  Antonio  (Old  Baldy)  from  near  Santa  Ana. 


194 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


and  an  abundance  of  water  for  irrigation  brought  many  thousands 
of  visitors,  large  numbers  of  whom  remained  and  made  their  homes. 
San  Diego  has  become  the  fourth  largest  city  in  the  state,  and 
is  growing  rapidly.  It  has  important  commercial  advantages,  one 
of  which  is  the  fact  that  it  is  the  nearest  city  to  the  Panama  Canal 
upon  the  Pacific  Coast  of  the  United  States. 

The  attractions  of  the  San  Diego  Bay  region. 

San  Diego  has  the  safest  bay  on  the  coast  for  pleasure  boating. 
Directly  in  front  of  the  bay  and  separating  it  from  the  ocean  is  the 
Coronado  Peninsula  with  its  great  hotel,  beach  and  surf  bathing. 
Upon  Point  Loma,  which  incloses  the  bay  upon  the  west,  is  a  noted 
theosophical  school  and  naval  station. 

A  few  miles  to  the  north  are  the  famous  La  Jolla  caves  and 
seaside  resort.  To  the  southeast  is  the  Mexican  town  of  Tia  Juana 
with  its  interesting  inhabitants.  In  the  edge  of  the  mountains  lies 
the  great  Sweetwater  reservoir  and  the  beautiful  Cajon  Valley. 

On  the  mesa  back  of  the  city  is  its  great  park,  once  covered 
with  sage  brush  but  now  turned  into  a  beautiful  garden,  in  the 
midst  of  which  has  been  built  in  old  Spanish  style  the  attractive 
buildings  of  the  Panama  Exposition. 

What  has  made  possible  the  development  here  of  a  rich  fruit 
and  agricultural  district? 

In  the  Peninsula  Range  which  extends  south  through  San  Diego 
County  into  Lower  California,  we  find  the  source  of  the  prosperity 


The  Plaza,  San  Diego. 


California 


195 


of  the  region.  Without  the  mountains  there  would  be  no  water  for 
irrigation,  and  the  larger  part  of  the  thousands  of  acres  of  fertile 
land  along  the  coast,  which  receives  only  ten  inches  of  rain  annu- 
ally, would  have  remained  sparsely  settled. 

The  winters  are  so  mild  near  the  ocean  that  the  scanty  rains 
do  more  good  than  they  would  in  most  parts  of  the  state.  On  ordi- 
nary years  they  will  produce  grain  and  a  good  growth  of  natural 
forage.  Such  products  as  grapes  and  almonds  and  walnuts  can  be 
grown  without  irrigation  if  the  land  is  well  cultivated. 

As  we  ascend  the  mountains  from  the  coast,  the  rainfall  in- 
creases, and  on  their  summits  it  is  nearly  as  heavy  as  in  the  high 
mountains  lying  back  of  the  Los  Angeles-San  Bernardino  Valley. 
Many  rivers  rise  in  these  mountains,  but  they  ordinarily  sink  in 
their  sandy  beds  before  reaching  the  ocean.  Reservoirs  are  being 
built  near  their  sources  and  there  will  finally  be  enough  water  avail- 
able to  irrigate  all  the  lands  that  need  it. 

In  what  way  is  the  Peninsula  Range  of  more  importance  than 
the  San  Gabriel? 

The  San  Gabriel  Range  rises  very  boldly  from  the  Los  Angeles- 
San  Bernardino  Valley,  and  because  of  its  narrow  canons  and  steep 
slopes  contains  almost  no  inhabitants. 

The  Peninsula  Range,  on  the  contrary,  rises  gradually  and  has 
many  valleys  inhabited  by  people  engaged  in  stock  raising,  general 
farming,  and  fruit  growing. 

The  lower  mountain  valleys  grow  citrus  fruits  of  the  best  qual- 
ity, as  well  as  olives  and  figs,  but  are  particularly  noted  for  their 
excellent  raisins.     The  upper  valleys  are  adapted  to  growing  the  de- 


San  Gorgonio  Pass  from  the  desert  slope;    the  best  of  all  the  gateways  from 
the  east  to  the  coastal  slope  of  California. 


196 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


ciduous  fruits,  the  Julian  district  being  especially  noted  for  the  qual- 
ity of  its  apples. 

The  most  of  the  mountain  valleys  are  dotted  with  oaks.  Above 
5000  feet  arc  forests  of  pines,  which  are  most  extensive  on  Cuy- 
amaca  Mountain. 

What  four  sorts  of  slopes,  each  with  its  own  productions,  do 
we  find  in  San  Diego  region? 

The  first  slope  is  the  rough  granite  mountains  which,  above 
5000  feet,  support  forests  of  pine,  cedar,  sugar  pine  and  fir. 

The  second  slope  includes  the  oak-dotted  mountain  valleys  with 
their  orchards   of   different   fruits. 

The  third  slope  is  formed  by  the  lower  alluvial  valleys  which 
extend  down  to  the  ocean.  The  soil  of  these  valleys  is  very  fertile. 
The  first  cultivated  lands  were  in  these  lower  valleys,  since  water 
for  irrigation  was  easily  obtained. 

The  fourth  slope  includes  the  mesas  which  rise  to  an  elevation 
of  1000  feet  along  the  base  of  the  mountains  and  slope  toward  the 
ocean.  They  were  left  by  nature  dry  and  barren,  but  under  the 
influence  of  water  they  produce  abundantly. 

What  gems  have  made  San  Diego  famous? 

Gold  mines  have  been  worked  for  many  years  in  the  Julian  dis- 
trict, but  the  minerals  which  have  made  San  Diego  famous  are  beau- 
tiful gems  known  as  tourmaline  and  Kunzite.  These  crystals,  with 
their  clear,  greenish  and  reddish  tints,  are  prized  very  highly  for 
all  kinds  of  jewelry,  and  by  some  people  are  admired  almost  as  much 
as    diamonds. 


Seventeen  Palms  Spring  in  the  Borego  Desert,  west  of  Imperial  Valley. 


California  197 


How  can  we  account  for  the  salt  lagoons  which  are  found 

along  the  coast? 

This  question  leads  to  the  interesting  story  of  how  the  ocean 
and  the  land  have  changed  places. 

Once  the  ocean  stood  high  along  the  mountains  as  it  did  in  the 
Los  Angeles  region.  The  streams  brought  down  sand  and  gravel 
and  distributed  it  over  the  bottom,  making  the  gently  sloping  plain 
which  we  know  as  the  mesa. 

Then  the  land  began  to  rise  and  the  shore  retreated  until  it  was 
far  out  under  the  present  ocean.  The  rivers  ran  down  across  the 
mesa  and  cut  cafions  which  finally  widened  to  valleys.  These  are 
the  valleys  in  which  the  first  missions  and  settlements  were  located. 

After  this  the  land  sank  again  and  the  ocean  flooded  the  lower 
ends  of  the  valleys.  The  ocean  waves  threw  up  pebbly  beaches 
across  the  fronts  of  these  bays  and  formed  the  salty  lagoons  which 
we  find  there  today. 

The  land  and  ocean  seem  ever  fighting  for  the  mastery.  The 
last  victory  in  this  region  has  been  won  by  the  land,  for  the  ocean 
has  abandoned  the  cliffs  below  San  Juan  and  built  a  beach  in  front 
which,  as  we  have  learned,  is  now  used  by  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad. 

The  story  of  Point  Loma  and  San  Diego  Bay. 

Point  Loma  was  once  an  island  behind  which  the  waves  and 
currents  made  a  long,  shallow  bar,  which  was  the  beginning  of  the 
Coronado  Peninsula.  The  San  Diego  River  brought  down  so  much 
mud  and  sand  during  floods  that  it  finally  built  a  delta  out  to  the 
island,  and  in  this  way  made  San  Diego  Bay  and  False  Bay. 

The  story  of  Point  Loma  is  also  interesting  because  long  ago 
it  was  visited  by  earthquakes  so  severe  that  the  layers  of  rocks  were 
broken  in  hundreds  of  places  and  shoved  past  each  other.  This,  as 
we  have  learned,  is  one  of  Nature's  ways  of  making  mountains. 

The  country  between  Los  Angeles  and  Santa  Barbara  where 
gold  and  petroleum  were  first  discovered. 

Gold  and  petroleum  are  the  most  valuable  minerals  of  Cali- 
fornia, and  both  are  found  in  the  mountainous  region  which  includes 
Ventura  and  parts  of  Los  Angeles  and  Santa  Barbara  Counties. 

If  we  could  look  down  from  an  aeroplane  upon  this  region,  it 
would  appear  at  first  sight  to  be  covered  almost  wholly  with  moun- 
tains ;  a  careful  look,  however,  would  show  one  long  valley.  This 
is  the  Santa  Clara,  sunk  deep  among  the  mountains  and  widening 
to  form  a  plain  as  it  approaches  the  ocean.  North  of  Los  Angeles 
we  could  make  out  the  San  Fernando  Valley,  almost  circular  in 
shape,  and  in  the  mountains  north  of  the  city  of  Ventura  the  beau- 
tiful Ojai  Valley. 

The  mountains  of  the  northern  part  of  this  district  are  high 
and  rugged,  for  this  is  the  meeting  point  of  many  ranges.  The  Te- 
hachapi  comes  from  the  east,  the  Sierra  Madre  from  the  southeast, 
and  the  Santa  Ynez  and  Coast  Ranges  from  the  west. 


198 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


The  group  formed  by  their  meeting  point  is  called  the  San  Eme- 
dio  Mountains.  From  the  summit  of  Pine  Mountain,  the  highest 
peak,  nearly  10,000  feet  above  the  ocean,  we  can  look  into  four  of 
the  seven  California  provinces.  These  are  the  Mohave  Desert  (a 
part  of  the  Great  Basin),  Southern  California,  the  Coast  Ranges, 
and  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 

The  few  people  who  live  in  this  remote  mountainous  district 
depend  upon  mining  and  stock  raising  for  a  living. 

The  Santa  Clara  River  has  a  basin  next  in  size  to  that  of  the 
Santa  Ana  River  in  Southern  California.  Most  of  the  year  the 
Santa  Clara  River  carries  little  water  on  the  surface,  for  it  flows  a 
long  distance  over  a  sandy  bed. 

How  do   the  mountains   and  valleys   determine  the  lines   of 

travel  ? 

The  mountains  north  of  the  Santa  Clara  Valley  are  so  rough 
and  steep  and  cut  by  so  many  deep  caiions  that  no  road  has  been 
built  across  them.  We  have  already  learned  that  two  main  routes 
were  opened  from  Los  Angeles  northward— one,  going  to  the  east 
of  these  mountains,  has  been  described;  the  other,  going  to  the 
west,  was  known  as  the  King's  Highway. 

The  King's  Highway  led  from  Los  Angeles  through  the  Ca- 
huenga  Pass  in  the  Santa  Monica  Range,  skirted  the  San  Fernando 
Valley,    crossed   the   high    valleys    of    Ventura    County    (sometimes 


The  beautiful  beach  at  Santa  Barbara. 


California  199 

called  the  Semi  Plateau)  to  the  mission  town  of  San  Buena  Ven- 
tura. Where  the  rugged  mountains  of  which  we  have  spoken  come 
down  to  the  ocean,  a  few  miles  northwest  of  Ventura,  the  trail  led 
down  to  the  beach  under  the  cliffs. 

There  is  one  other  route,  in  addition  to  the  King's  Highway, 
by  which  we  can  go  from  Los  Angeles  to  Ventura.  That  is  by 
the  old  Bakersfield  stage  route  through  the  San  Fernando  Valley 
and  over  the  pass  of  the  same  name  to  the  upper  Santa  Clara 
River.  From  here  there  is  an  open  valley  leading  all  the  way  to 
the  ocean.  This  route  has  been  used  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Rail- 
road, but  as  it  was  not  direct,  a  new  line  was  opened  by  tunneling 
through  the  Santa  Susana  Mountains  at  the  western  end  of  the 
San  Fernando  Valley. 

How  has  the  roughness  of  this  region  between  Los  Angeles 

and  Santa  Barbara  affected  its  settlement  and  industries? 

Because  the  interior  is  made  up  almost  wholly  of  mountains, 
the  larger  part  of  the  population  lives  in  the  valleys  near  the  coast. 

The  higher  mountain  slopes  support  a  growth  of  oak  and  pine. 
The  middle  and  lower  slopes  north  of  the  Santa  Clara  Valley  are 
covered  with  brush,  while  south  of  the  valley  they  are  more  open 
and  grassy.  The  raising  of  cattle  and  sheep  was,  then,  the  leadmg 
industry  until  the  discovery  of  large  quantities  of  oil. 

The  mountains  upon  both  sides  of  the  Santa  Clara  Valley, 
throughout  nearly  its  whole  length,  have  been  found  to  contam 
great  stores  of  oil.  In  traveling  through  this  valley  one  is  hardly 
ever  out  of  sight  of  oil  derricks. 

The  oil  was  first  obtained  from  springs.  Then  tunnels  were 
run  in  the  mountain  sides  and  the  oil  was  allowed  to  run  out.  Now 
most  of  the  oil  is  pumped  from  wells,  some  of  which  are  nearly 
4000   feet   deep. 

What  is  there  about  the  Santa  Clara  Valley  which  makes  it 
excel  in  the  production  of  sugar  beets,  beans  and  lemons? 
The  valley  widens  as  it  approaches  the  ocean  and  forms  a  fer- 
tile plain  of  many  miles'  extent.  This  lower  part,  being  exposed  to 
the  cool,  damp  ocean  winds,  is  not  suited  to  growing  fruits,  but 
does  produce  luxuriant  crops  of  beets  and  beans.  The  quantities 
of  these  two  things  raised  here  are  in  excess  of  any  other  district 
in  California.  At  Oxnard  there  is  a  factory  for  making  sugar  from 
the  beets. 

A  little  farther  up  the  valley  from  the  ocean,  the  climate  is 
w^armer  and  suited  to  the  growing  of  lemons.  And  so  we  find  here 
some   of   the   largest   lemon   groves,   and    also    orchards    of   walnuts 

and  olives.  ,    i  •    i     i  i 

If  we   continue  up   the  valley  we   soon   leave   behind   the   cool 

ocean  winds  and  find  that  groves  of  orange  and  pomelo  predominate. 
The  picturesque  Ojai  Valley,  north  of  Ventura,  produces  a  great 

variety  of  fruits,  and  is  also  an  important  honey  district. 

How  industries  in  this  region  are  determined  by  the  water  sup- 


200 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


ply  is  shown  in  the  San  Fernando  Valley.  The  eastern  part  is  a 
rich  and  highly  cultivated  fruit  district,  because  there  water  has 
been  easily  obtained  for  irrigation.  The  western  end  of  the  valley 
has  little  water  of  its  own  for  irrigation  and  was  for  years  devoted 
chiefly  to  stock  and  grain.  Now  the  Los  Angeles  aqueduct  sup- 
plies water  to  this  dry  region,  so  that  orchards  and  alfalfa  fields  and 
comfortable  homes  are  spreading  over  it. 

The  Santa  Barbara  coastal  plain  was  once  beneath  the  ocean. 

If  there  had  been  no  Santa  Barbara  coastal  plain  extending 
along  the  base  of  the  Santa  Ynez  Range,  the  early  explorers  would 
probably  not  have  been  able  to  make  their  way  northward  and  the 
story  of  California  would  have  been  different. 

We  have  learned  how  the  shores  of  California  have  played  see- 
saw with  the  ocean.  The  Plain  of  Santa  Barbara  is  a  strip  of  rich 
land  which  the  ocean  did  not  steal  when  last  the  coast  sank.  Like 
the  Plain  of  Los  Angeles,  it  was  formed  beneath  the  water  from 
the  mud  and  sand  which  the  streams  brought  down  from  the  land. 

Although  the  climate  is  mild,  few  oranges  are  grown  there,  for 
they  do  not  thrive  in  the  ocean  air.  The  region  is  especially  suited 
to  the  growing  of  olives  and  walnuts,  and  some  of  the  largest 
orchards  in  the  state  are  situated  there. 

Why  is  Santa  Barbara  attractive  both  in  winter  and  summer? 

The  lofty  mountain  wall '  upon  the  north  shuts  off  the  cold 
winds  of  winter.  Point  Conception,  extending  far  out  into  the  ocean, 
and  the  islands  lying  opposite  across  the  channel,  aid  in  making  the 
summer  warmer  and  less  foggy  than  other  places  on  the  coast. 

The  old  mission  is  well  preserved  and  is  much  visited.  There 
are  large  tourist  hotels  and  an  attractive  bathing  beach. 


Date  palm  grove  at  the  experiment  station,  Coachella. 


California 


201 


The  manner  in  which  Santa  Barbara  gets  its  water  shows  us 
again  how  men  can  overcome  Nature,  The  Santa  Ynez  River  is 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Santa  Ynez  Range  and  flows  far  away  to 
the  west  through  a  thinly  settled  country.  The  city  needed  more 
water  and  so  it  was  brought  by  a  tunnel,  several  miles  long,  which 
was  dug  through  the  mountains,  and  now  the  river  serves  thou- 
sands  of   people. 

In  what  forms  is  petroleum  found  near  Santa  Barbara? 

In  the  vicinity  of  Santa  Barbara  are  valuable  deposits  of  a  dried 
out  oil  which  is  solid  at  ordinary  temperatures  but  becomes  liquid 
when  heated.  This  is  known  as  bitumen  or  asphaltum.  It  is  quar- 
ried, melted  down  to  get  rid  of  the  impurities,  and  shipped  for  use 
as  street  paving  material. 

At  Summerland,  oil  wells  have  been  drilled  out  in  the  edge 
of  the  ocean.  The  tar  which  is  continually  washing  ashore  tells  us 
that  somewhere  out  under  the  ocean  in  Santa  Barbara  Channel  are 
extensive    deposits   of   oil. 

Why  are  the  islands  off  the  coast  of  Southern  California  so 
interesting? 

A  number  of  islands  lie  scattered 
ofif  the  coast  of  Southern  California, 
two  of  them  being  nearly  sixty 
miles  from  the  mainland.  These 
islands  are  interesting  because  they 
are  the  tops  of  mountains  which 
were  once  a  part  of  the  continent. 
Between  them  and  the  shore  the 
water  is  quite  shallow  in  most 
parts  and  the  ocean  floor  is  smooth 
like  the  surface  of  the  Los  Angeles 
and  Santa  Barbara  Plains,  which 
were  once  beneath  it.  The  sound- 
ings show  that  outside  of  the  is- 
lands the  bottom  slopes  down  rap- 
idly to  the  depths  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean. 

The  islands  rise,  then,  from  a 
submerged  part  of  the  continent, 
as  we  have  already  learned  (page 
200).  If  people  had  lived  in  Cal- 
ifornia when  the  islands  were  con- 
nected with  the  mainland,  the 
broad  plains  which  would  then 
have  been  exposed  would  not  only 
have  afforded  a  vast  area  of  rich 
An  artesian  well,  Coachella  Valley,  farming  land,  but  would  have  made 
travel  up  and  down   the  coast  very  much  easier  than   it  is  now. 


202 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


Why  do  so  few  people  live  upon  these  islands? 

Many  Indians  once  lived  upon  the  islands,  supporting  them- 
selves upon  fish  and  molluscs,  for  the  sea  about  them  is  full  of  life. 
The  islands  are  not  suited  to  farming,  for  the  slopes  are  generally 
steep  and  dry.  There  are  few  springs  and  no  trees  except  a  few 
oaks  which  grow  in  the  canons.  The  main  use  to  which  the  islands 
are  put  is  pasturing  cattle,  sheep  and  goats. 

Santa  Catalina  Island  has  become  noted  as  a  resort.  At  Avalon 
there  has  grown  up  one  of  the  most  popular  seaside  resorts.  Bath- 
ing, boating  and  fishing  are  the  chief  attractions. 

Why  is  the  fishing  industry  of  Southern  California  important  t 

The  catch  of  the  fishermen  comes  from  comparatively  shallow 
water.  In  the  shallow  water  the  fish  find  their  food  and  a  suitable 
spawning  ground. 

The  large  area  of  shallow  water  along  the  coast  of  Southern 
California  about  the  islands  and  reefs  favors  the  growth  of  immense 
numbers  of  fish  and  the  development  of  an  important  industry. 

A  fish  preserve  has  been  established  about  the  shores  of  Santa 
Catalina  Island.  Within  a  distance  of  three  miles  from  the  land, 
no  fish  may  be  taken  with  a  net  or  set  hooks.  This  is  an  impor- 
tant spawning  ground  and  it  was  found  that  certain  fish  were  in 
danger  of  extinction   unless   they  were   protected. 


Picking  cotton,  Imperial  Valley. 


California 


203 


The  magic  transformation  of  the  Colorado  Desert  into  a  land 
of  almost  incredible  riches. 

Nature  usually  works  so  slowly  that  it  takes  hundreds  of  years 
to  bring  about  important  changes  on  the  surface  of  the  earth,  but  in 
the  desert  men  have  wrought  a  wonderful  change  almost  in  a  night. 

Prospectors  who  in  early  days  crossed  the  Colorado  Desert  from 
Yuma  to  San  Diego  passed  over  a  broad  plain  where  they  often 
suffered  greatly  from  heat  and  thirst.  The  dark,  rich  soil  supported 
only  thorny  bushes  and  curious  desert  animals.  Along  the  ancient 
desert  trail  there  are  now  miles  upon  miles  of  cultivated  lands  and 
many  thousands  of  people. 

Those  who  followed  the  trail  from  Yuma  to  Los  Angeles,  or 
who  in  later  years  rode  in  comfortable  cars  over  the  same  route, 
passed  by  a  glistening  salt  marsh  occupying  a  basin  of  240  feet 
below  the  level  of  the  ocean.  During  the  early  part  of  one  summer 
this  salt  basin  and  the  desert  about  it  was,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
months,  changed  into  a  lake  forty  miles  in  length.  How  have  such 
sudden  changes  come  about? 

The  work  of  the  Colorado  River. 

The  Colorado  River,  when  swollen  with  the  water  of  the  melt- 
ing snows  of  the  far-off  Rocky  Mountains,  is  yellow  in  color  and 
thick  with  mud.  If  a  quart  bottle  is  filled  with  the  water  and 
allowed  to  settle,  there  will  appear  nearly  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
of  sediment  in  the  bottom.  What  has  the  river  done  with  all  this 
mud  which  it  has  been  bringing  down  for  many  thousands  of  years? 

Long  ago   the  Gulf  of  California   extended  north   to  where  the 


A  natural  cactus  garden  in  the   Borego   Desert  west   of  Imperial  Valley. 


204  New  ruocJUEssivK  Geographies 

town  of  Indio  now  stands.  The  mouth  of  the  Colorado  River  was 
then  near  Yuma.  Year  after  year  the  fine  silt  or  mud  which  the 
river  brought  down  was  dropped  in  the  gulf  until  a  delta  of  solid 
land  had  been  built  across  it  to  the  Peninsula  of  California. 

The  river  ran  here  and  there  over  the  delta,  continually  chang- 
ing its  channel.  Sometimes  it  flowed  into  the  gulf  to  the  south, 
and  sometimes  into  the  lake  which  the  delta  had  formed  by  cutting 
off  the  northern  end  of  the  gulf. 

As  the  years  passed,  the  river  emptied  less  frequently  into  the 
lake  and  its  waters  began  to  dry  up,  leaving  at  last  only  a  marsh 
of  glistening  salt  in  its  lowest  part.  This  was  known  as  the  Sal- 
ton  Sink. 

The  making  of  Coachella  and  Imperial  Valleys. 

The  channel  by  which  the  water  of  the  Colorado  River  for- 
merly emptied  into  the  Salton  Sink  is  known  as  New  River.  This 
channel  suggested  the  possibility  of  irrigating  the  desert.  The  soil 
was  believed  to  be  hundreds  of  feet  deep.  It  was  dark  and  rich 
and,  under  the  influence  of  the  hot  semi-tropic  sun,  should  produce 
abundantly  if  water  could  be  had. 

A  canal  was  dug  from  the  Colorado  River  and  water  was 
carried  over  the  desert  plain.  The  lands  were  cleared  of  brush, 
plowed  and  planted.  The  desert  has  now  become  one  of  the  richest 
regions  of  California.  All  the  sub-tropic  fruits  grow  here  and  many 
of  them  ripen  much  earlier  than  elsewhere  because  of  the  early 
warm   spring. 

Here  there  are  now  thousands  of  acres  of  alfalfa,  supporting 
great  herds  of  cattle.  There  are  cotton  fields,  vineyards  and  orch- 
ards and  vast  fields  of  cantaloupes  which  ripen  and  are  gone  before 
summer  comes  in  the  north. 

A  large  part  of  the  desert  yet  remains  to  be  irrigated.  Upon 
the  delta  of  the  Colorado  River  is  growing  up  a  community  which 
in  time  will  rival  in  wealth  those  famous  people  of  long  ago  who 
dwelt  upon  the  deltas  of  the  Nile  and  Euphrates  Rivers. 

The  Coachella  Valley  forms  the  northern  arm  of  the  Colorado 
Desert,  and  Indio  is  its  chief  town.  Here  the  Arab  from  North 
Africa  or  from  Arabia  would  find  himself  at  home,  for  his  favorite 


Mud  volcanoes,  Imperial  Valley. 


California  205 

food  is  produced  in  abundance.  More  than  a  million  date  palms 
have  been  set  out  and  their  fruit  equals  in  every  respect  the  dates 
from  Asia  and  Africa. 

The  Story  of  the  Salton  Sea. 

During-  a  certain  year,  when  the  Colorado  was  very  high,  the 
water  broke  through  the  head  gates  of  the  irrigating  canal  and 
flowed  in  a  mighty  torrent  down  the  old  channel  of  New  River 
into  the  Salton  "Basin.  Before  the  water  could  be  stopped,  it  had 
done  great  damage  to  the  farms  along  its  course  and  had  formed 
a  large  lake,  covering  hundreds  of  square  miles.  It  flooded  the  Sal- 
ton  Salt  Works  and  compelled  the  railroad  to  move  its  tracks  to 
higher  ground.  The  water  also  covered  some  interesting  mud  vol- 
canoes in  the  midst  of  the  desert. 

Far  above  the  present  lake,  on  the  borders  of  the  mountains, 
is  an  old  beach  and  wave-cut  cliff  made  long  ago.  Fresh-water 
shells  can  still  be  picked  up  along  this  old  beach. 

Salton  Sea  will  finally  dry  up  and  the  salt  marsh  will  reappear 
unless  the  river  breaks  in  again. 

SUAOIARY. 

Southern  California  is  a  land  of  mountains  and  valleys.  It  has 
many  sorts  of  climate  and  for  that  reason  a  great  variety  of  pro- 
ductions. 

The  valleys  receive  a  light  rainfall  and  could  never  have  be- 
come thickly  settled  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  mountains  on  which 
the  rains  and  snows  are  heavy. 

In  no  other  part  of  our  country  are  there  such  wonderful  con- 
trasts. Snow-covered  mountains  look  down  upon  blossoming  orange 
groves,  and  forbidding  deserts  surround  gardens  of  almost  tropical 
luxuriance. 

Southern  California  was  little  influenced  by  the  gold  excitement 
and  its  settlement  was  slow  for  many  years. 

As  soon  as  the  railroads  were  built  into  this  region  so  that 
it  could  be  reached  easily,  and  people  had  discovered  what  a  mild 
and  healthful  climate  it^had,  settlers  and  visitors  began  to  come 
by  the  thousands. 

Irrigation  systems  were  built  and  soon  the  dry  slopes  began 
to  be  covered  with  orchards  of  every  description. 

Southern  California  is  most  noted  for  its  climate,  its  scenery, 
its  navel  oranges,  its  cotton  and  cantaloupe  fields.  To  these  must 
soon  be  added  dates,  which  are  becoming  one  of  its  important 
products. 

Los  Angeles,  because  of  its  favorable  situation,  has  become  the 
metropolis  of  the  south  and  one  of  the  two  largest  cities  of  the  state. 


206  New  Progressive  Geographies 

REVIEW  EXERCISES. 

Why   is   Southern    California  difficult   to   study? 

What  barriers  separate  Southern  from  Central  California?  What 
barriers  separate  it  from  the  East? 

Trace  on  the  map  the  watershed.  Where  is  the  coastal  slope  the 
widest? 

Draw  a  line  about  the  basins  of  the  Santa  Ana  and  Santa  Clara 
Rivers  and  tell  which  is  the  largest. 

What  is  the  reason  for  the  largest  rivers  being  on  the  coastal  slope? 

Why  was  this  region  once  believed  to  be  of  little  value  for  farming? 

In  what  way  have  the  mountains  made  it  possible  for  Southern  Cali- 
fornia to  support  a  great  population? 

How  does  the  mountain  climate  differ  from  that  of  the  coast?  How 
does  it  differ  from  that  of  the  interior  valleys?  Which  do  you 
prefer? 

Tell  the  important  products  of  each  of  the  three  regions  just  men- 
tioned. 

Why  was  Southern  California  little  affected  by  the  early  mining 
excitement? 

Why  did  so  few  of  the  emigrants  come  by   the  southern  routes? 

Point  out  the  leading  mountain  passes  and  tell  what  roads  go 
through  each. 

What  are  the  advantages  of  irrigation?  Are  there  any  parts  of  the 
South  where  it  is  not  needed?  How  does  the  careful  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil  affect  the  need  of  irrigation? 

Mention  any  farm  products  that  can  be  grown  in  the  valleys  with- 
out irrigation. 

What  sort  of  a  place  is  selected  for  a  reservoir? 

What  becomes  of  the  rain  and  snow  that  fall  upon  the  mountains? 

Describe  some  of  the  different  ways  of  watering  the  orchards  and 
vineyards. 

Mention  some  of  the  things  which  do  best  upon  the  river  bottoms. 
Where  are  the  best  oranges   raised? 

What  is  the  result  of  cutting  the  forests  from  the  mountains? 

If  you  owned  a  ranch  in  the  San  Bernardino  Valley,  would  you  ob- 
ject to  the  lumbering  of  the  mountains  above? 

If  your  home  is  in  Southern  California,  describe  the  effects  of  any 
earthquakes  that  you  have  felt. 

Why  are  many  fruits  later  in  ripening  than  in  Northern  California? 

Find  out  what  is  meant  by  "dry  farming." 

Why  do  so  few  people  live  in  the  San  Gabriel   Mountains? 

Describe  the  climate  needed  by  each  of  the  following:  sugar  beets, 
beans,  oranges,  lemons,  raisin   grapes,   apples  and  cherries. 

What  are  the  advantages  in  the  situation  of   Los  Angeles? 

What  are  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  San  Diego? 

How  did  Los  Angeles  obtain  a  good   harbor? 

Describe  the  occupations  in  different  parts  of  the  region  between 
Los  Angeles  and  Santa  Barbara. 

Point  out  upon  a  map  the  lines  of  travel  between  Southern  and  Cen- 
tral California. 


California  207 

How   does   the   supply   of   water  in   different   places   affect   the  kind 

of  farming"  carried  on? 
In  what  part  are  the  best  oranges  grown? 
Why  is  it  so  dangerous  to  get  lost  in  the  Colorado  Desert? 
\\^here  did  the  salt  come  from  that  was  in  the  Salton   Sink  before 

the  great  lake  was  formed? 
Mention    some    of   the    chief   productions   of   Imperial    Valley,    with 

reasons. 
What  is  the  most  important  crop  of  the  Coachella  Valley? 
Why  was  the  railroad  between  Imperial  Valley  and  San  Diego   so 

long  in  building  although  the  distance  is  not  great? 
Why    was    it    at    first    thought    there    was    little    fertile    land    about 

San  Diego? 
What  are  the  particular  attractions  of  San  Diego? 
How  do  we  know  that  the  level  of  the  land  along  the   coast  has 

changed? 
Why  was  San  Diego  Mission  placed  in  Mission  Valley,  some  miles 

from  the  coast,  rather  than  on  the  bay? 
W^hat   advantage  is  it   to   San   Diego   to   have   a   railroad  built   east 

across   the  mountains  to  Yuma? 
Describe  the  attractions  of  Avalon  on  Santa  Catalina  Island. 
Why  is  it  necessary  to   establish  fish   preserves,  since  the  ocean   is 

so  large? 
How  do  we  know  the  islands  were  once  a  part  of  the  mainland? 
If  the   land   should   sink    1200   feet   to   a   point  where    it   w^as   once, 

what  would  the  eft'ect  on  the  islands  be?     What  would  become 

of  fruit  growing  in  Southern  California? 
Wliy    has    fruit    growing    developed    more    than    manufacturing    in 

Southern   California? 
How   has    the    discovery   of   large    quantities   of   petroleum    affected 

manufacturing? 
Tell  anything  that  you  know   about  the  tar  springs  near   Los  An- 
geles and  how  they  trapped  the  animals  and  birds  long  ago. 
Mention   the   chief  attractions   which   have   called   people   to    South- 
ern   California. 

PRACTICAL  LESSONS. 

Many  a  country  which  'has  been  left  by  Nature  apparently  dry  and 
barren  has  been  transformed  by  men   into  a  luxuriant  garden. 

Valleys  lying  on  the  side  of  mountains  from  which  moist  winds 
blow^  are  better  watered  than  they  would  be  if  there  were  no 
mountains,  while  those  on  the  opposite  side  are   drier. 

Mountains  protect  a  country  from  invasion  by  an  enemy,  but  at 
the  same  time  they  stand  in  the  way  of  people  of  that  country 
shipping  their  products  to  market. 

Mountains  and  deserts  once  oft'ered  serious  obstacles  to  the  settle- 
ment of  a  country,  but  now  we  are  able  to  carry  water  into  the 
deserts  and  to  tunnel   through  mountains. 


208 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


No  country  can  become  rich   and  prosperous  without  a  market  for 

its  products. 
Not   all    mountains    contain   minerals,    but   there    are    few    found    in 

those   countries   where   there   are   no   mountains. 
Men    can   lead  water   into   a   dry   country   and    can    drain    one   that 

is   marshy,   but   they   cannot   change   the   winds   or   the   rainfall 

or  the  temperature. 
It  is  very   necessary   to   take  good   care  of  the   mountain   slopes  in 

countries   where  the   rainfall   is   light,   and   not   permit  fires,   or 

cattle,  or  lumbermen  to  injure  them. 
A   mountainous  country  has  a  much  greater' variety  of  productions 

than  a  level  one. 
Each  kind  of  plant,  vegetable  or  fruit,  requires  the  sort  of  climate 

to  which  it  has  become  accustomed.     We  cannot  be  successful 

in  raising  dates  in  any  but   the  hottest  valleys  of  the   desert, 

for  their  climate  is  like  that  of  the  home  of  the  date  in  North 

Africa. 
A  coastal  region  over  which   the  winds  blow  from   the   ocean  has 

a  much  more  mild  and  even  climate  than  it  would  have  if  the 

winds  blew  from  the  land. 
The   situations  of  great   cities   are   determined   by   Nature   and   not 

by  men.  1  -i     u 

The  occupation  of  people  is  determined  by  the  chmate,  the  soil,  the 
steepness  of  the  slopes,  and  the  markets. 


Milk  goat  industry.    A  typical  picture  of  the  pure  bred  Swiss  Toggen- 

berg  goat,  Las  Cabritas  Montara.     This  is  a  new  and 

rapidly  developing  industry  in  California. 


fi^F 


The  Desert  Transformed — Imperial  Valley 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Great  Basin:     ^hat  "^-^^0^^ te^Pio^e^^/ H^aTJ'""^ 

*°  *C^„'^rBe"-^rThry  S^M^R^ch  the  Land  of  Gold. 
What  sort  of  country  did  Fremont  discover  in  the  inter.or  of 

Z:TZ^L.   whi.e   carrying   .,  ^t-Snt'^l^o 4"  eM 
vast    unknown    land    west    ot    tlie    KotKy 

strange  region.  Wasatch  Range  of  Utah  and  the 

This  region  l^Y  between  the  Wasatch  Ka  ^^^   ^^^ 

Sierra    Nevadas   of   California.     It  has  on  ^  ^^^^  ^.^^^^  ^^^^ 

River  with  its  deep  canon  and  on  the  nortn 

flowing  in  a  deep  canon.       .  ,      different  from  any  which  had 

Fremont  found  this  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ient      it  was  extremely   dry 

ever  before   been   known   on   our   continent      u  g^^angest  thing 

Tnd  inhabited  by  -rious^anima  s  and  plaivts^    The^st     ^.^^^^^^^^^ 

about  this  region  was  \^f  ^\  ^^P^^^^^^  rainwater  that  fell  upon 

l^t^s  ^X^^coSd^L^TawryrthTo^e^n.     Because  of  this  he  named 

''  ^^^^^sf  ^^derstand,  however,  th^the^C^eatB.^ 

large  desert  waste,  but  consis^^s  o    "-^  basins  ?here  are  lakes  with 

the  desert.    In  summer  the  ^^^^  ^^^^^'^^  eoM  w  sweep  over 

the  almost  barren  ground,  while  m  ^Mnter  coiQ 

the  surface.  .^.,r+  pnH  hidden  in  such  out-of- 

The  springs  are  often  so  ^ar  apart  and  hiciaen  ^^^_ 

the-way  places  that  sufficient  water  ha     to  be  car  -d^to^^     ^^^^^^^ 
eral  days.     Sometimes  the  ^^^ert  traveler  thm  J  ^.^  ^^.^^^ 

of  a  lake  overhung  with  trees  ^^d  leaves  the  trau  .^  ^^^^^ 

and  fill  his  canteen,  but  this  is  only  the  desert    mirage 
him  on  to  his  death.  addition  to  the  danger  of 

t:^  rrs?4°t.'^^'"andoS  :  l-^s  and  the  bones  of  o.en 
and  horses  were  strewn  along  the  route. 
How  came  this  region  to  be  a  basin? 

Our  geographies  speak  of  ^er  basins    b^'J  7/«. -'^*^- 
Sf-pon-^t^  o^r-^^def  t^rn^i'ttin  tnf  ^afn^  stream  or  river  and 


210 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


flow  away. 

The  region  which  Fremont  called  the  Great  Basin  is  a  true 
basin,  for  it  has  a  rim  all  around  it,  like  a  plate  or  saucer.  Each 
of  the  many  small  desert  basins  or  valleys  has  a  rim  of  its  own, 
but  outside  of  all  is  the  great  rim. 

This  strange  land  exists  here  because  at  no  time  since  its  val- 
leys and  mountains  were  formed  has  there  been  rain  enough  to  form 
river  systems  such  as  we  find  in  other  parts  of  our  country. 

If  it  should  rain  there  as  much  as  it  does  at  San  Francisco,  very 
soon  every  desert  basin  would  be  full  of  water.  The  higher  basins 
would  overflow  into  the  lower,  and  when  the  water  had  reached  the 
lowest  ones  and  filled  them,  it  would  run  over  the  lowest  points 
in  the  outer  rim  of  the  Great  Basin  and  flow  away  to  join  either  the 
Colorado  or  Snake  Rivers. 

There  would  thus  be  formed  many  lakes  throughout  the  Great 
Basin.  After  a  time,  as  the  streams  which  ran  out  of  them  wore 
away  their  channels  and  made  them  deeper,  the  lakes  would  be 
drained.  You  can  see  how  this  would  be  from  the  behavior  of  the 
'ittle  pond  when  it  has  overflowed  the  dam  that  you  made  to  hold  it. 

At  one  time  long  ago,  when  there  was  more  rain  than  there  is 
now,  some  of  the  lakes  in  this  desert  region  did  overflow.  Great 
Salt  Lake  was  then  an  immense  lake,  much  larger  than  it  is  now, 
and  it  overflowed  its  basin  and  emptied  into  the  Snake  River  in 
Idaho. 

Owens  Lake  overflowed,  and  a  large  river  ran  south  along  the 
base  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  and  emptied  into  a  lower  basin 
in  the  Mohave  Desert.  Here  a  lake  was  formed  which  has  now 
dried  up.  Its  bed  is  known  as  Searls  Borax  Marsh  and  is  filled 
with  valuable  deposits  of  soda,  borax  and  potash. 

What  has  made  a  desert  of  the  Great  Basin? 

We  have  already  learned  something  of  how  the  cool  summits 
of  the  lofty  mountains  aid  in  changing  the  moisture  of  the  clouds 


A  volcanic  crater  in  the  Mohave  Desert, 


California 


211 


into  rain  or  snow.  We  have  learned  also  that  the  storms  usually 
come  from  a  westerly  direction  and  that  the  Coast  Ranges  and  the 
still  loftier  Sierra  Nevadas  lie  across  their  paths  and  take  away  most 
of  the  moisture  of  the  clouds  before  they  let  them  go. 

The  three  things  which  we  have  mentioned  all  work  together 
to  make  a  desert  of  the  Great  Basin.  So  little  moisture  remains  in 
the  air  after  it  has  passed  the  Sierra  Nevadas  that  the  Inyo-White 
Mountain  Range,  which  is  in  places  almost  as  high  as  the  Sierras, 
receives  but  little  rain  and  snow.  East  of  these  mountains  in  Ne- 
vada it  is  drier  still. 

These  things  lead  us  to  suspect  what  is  really  the  case,  and 
that  is,  that  the  lowest  valleys  of  the  Great  Basin  which  lie  behind 
these  mountains,  the  highest  in  our  country,  form  the  hottest,  driest 
and  most  dangerous  of  deserts.  Thus  Death  Valley,  below  the  level 
of  the  ocean,  is  the  most  dreaded  of  all. 

How  is  it  that  there  are  lakes  in  this  desert  region? 

Where  there  are  lakes  there  must  be  streams  to  supply  them 
with  water,  and  the  streams  must  take  their  rise  where  it  rains  or 
snows.     How,  then,  can  we  account  for  lakes  in  the  desert? 

A  study  of  the  map  will  show  that  all  the  lakes  of  the  Great 
Basin  lie  near  its  borders,  and  that  the  streams  which  feed  them 
rise  in  the  high  mountains  on  the  rim  of  the  basin.  Thus  Great  Salt 
Lake  on  the  eastern  border  of  the  basin  receives  its  water  from  the 
Wasatch  Range. 

Honey,   Mono   and   Owens   Lakes   lie   close   to   the   western   rim 


-  I  »n»i^<t,'f?S-^ 


^  ,:  i'-«%ir 


"*^x".i* 


;:.^ 


The  white  salt  and  soda  flats  of  Death  Valley. 


212  New  Progressive  Geographies 

and  within  the  boundaries  of  CaHfornia.  They  receive  their  water 
from  the  melting  snows  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  Walker  and  Pyra- 
mid Lakes  in  Western  Nevada  also  receive  their  supply  from  the 
Sierras,  but  the  streams  w^hich  feed  them  have  to  flow  farther  be- 
fore they  find  a  basin  in  which  to  stop. 

Beautiful  Lake  Tahoe,  although  high  in  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains,  is  really  in  the  Great  Basin.  The  water  which  flows 
from  it  forms  the  Truckee  River,  which,  after  irrigating  thousands 
of  acres  of  desert  land,  finally  reaches  Pyramid   Lake. 

Why  are  the  lakes  of  the  Great  Basin  so  salty  and  alkaline? 

If  you  will  visit  one  of  these  lakes  and  taste  the  water,  you 
wall  find  it  very  nauseating.  It  is  a  disagreeable  mixture  of  salt, 
soda  and  other  mineral  substances.  The  water  leaves  a  white,  crusty 
deposit  around  the  shores  when  it  evaporates,  and  is  so  dense  that 
one  cannot  sink  in  it. 

These  lakes,  like  the  ocean,  have  no  outlet.  Year  after  year  the 
streams  dissolve  tiny  particles  of  mineral  substances  from  the  rocks 
and  carry  them  to  the  lakes.  Mineral  springs  also  aid  in  this  work. 
No  water  ever  flows  away  and  that  which  evaporates  into  the  air 
cannot  take  the  mineral  substances  with  it.  In  this  way  the  waters 
of  these  lakes  gradually  become  filled  with   salts  of  various  kinds. 

How  are  plants  and  animals  able  to  live  in  this  dry  region? 

We  must  not  think  that  our  deserts  are  entirely  without  rain 
and  that  they  are  covered  with  bare  rocks  and  sand  like  the  Sahara 
in  North  Africa. 

Some  rain  falls  in  the  deserts  of  California  and  they  are  alive 
with  many  sorts  of  plants  and  animals  which,  through  many  thou- 
sands of  years,  have  become  accustomed  to  doing  with  little  water. 

Many  plants,  such  as  the  different  kinds  of  cactus,  are  armed 
with  thorns.  Others  have  very  small  leaves  and  are  covered  with 
a  resinous  bark  to  keep  them  from  losing  the  little  moisture  which 
they  are  able  to  get  from  the  earth. 

Strange  and  interesting  animals  live  in  the  desert.  There  is 
the  tortoise,  which  can  go  many  months,  and  perhaps  years,  with- 
out finding  water,  because  of  sacks  in  its  body  for  holding  a  supply. 
There  is  the  horned  toad  with  his  spiny  covering,  the  great  lizard 
called  the  Chuckawalla  which  the  Indians  eat,  and  many  slender 
lizards  of  bright  color  that  race  like  a  flash  over  the  sand,  and  last, 
the  "side-winder,"  one  of  the  most  dangerous  of  rattlesnakes. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  there  are  spring  rains  in  the  desert. 
Its  slopes  are  then  quickly  covered,  as  if  by  magic,  with  a  carpet 
of  many  kinds  of  beautiful  flowers.  These  flowers  mature  their 
seeds  quickly  and  die.  Soon  all  signs  of  their  presence  are  swept 
away  by  the  winds  and  drifting  sands. 

The  vegetation  is  not  the  same  all  over  the  desert. 

There  are  belts  of  vegetation  upon  the  desert  just  as  upon  the 


California 


213 


mountains,  for  it  rains  more  in  some  places  than  in  others,  and  is 
hotter  in  some  than  in  others. 

Along  the  dry  water  courses  in  the  Colorado  and  Mohave  Des- 
erts, we  find  the  mesquite,  a  small,  thorny  tree  bearing  pods  with 
edible  beans. 

The  most  widespread  plant  upon  the  open  desert  is  the  Mexican 
creosote  bush,  which  has  a  resinous  sap. 

The  Washington  palm,  seen  so  often  in  our  gardens,  grows  in 
the  canons  along  the  western  border  of  the  Colorado  Desert.  Beau- 
tiful cactuses  of  various  kinds  abound  and,  in  the  region  mentioned, 
form  most  wondrous  natural  gardens. 

Upon  the  Mohave  Desert  are  vast  groves  of  the  giant  yucca, 
among  which  grow  cactuses,  creosote  bush   and   other  plants. 

Higher  up  the  slopes,  where  there  is  a  little  more  rain,  we 
come  upon  the  desert  juniper.  Above  this,  on  the  higher  mountains, 
we  see  the  pinon  pine. 

Along  the  eastern  base  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas  and  extending  far 
northward,  the  sagebrush  is  the  chief  desert  plant  and  often  grows 
to  a  great  size. 

How  much  of  California  lies  within  the  Great  Basin? 

If  we  begin  in  Northeastern  California  and  draw  a  line  along 
the  summits  of  the  mountains  dividing  the  sources  of  the  rivers 
which  flow  westerly  into  the  ocean  from  those  which  flow  easterly 
and  sink  in  the  Great  Basin,  we  shall  find  by  the  time  we  have 
reached  the  southern  part  of  the  state  that  we  have  cut  off  about 
one-third  of  its  area.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  line  is  very  irreg- 
ular and  that  between  Central  and  Southern  California  it  extends 
west  almost  to  the  ocean. 

However,  not  all  of  the  land  included  in  the  Great  Basin  is 
desert,  for  along  the  base  of  the  rim  of  mountains  which  we  have 
traced  there  arc  large  areas  of  land  where  there  is  a  moderate  rain- 
fall and  water  for  irrigation. 


Sand  dunes  of  the  Colorado  Desert. 


214 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


What  calls   people  to  the  desert  and  how  are  they  able  to 
live  there? 

The  search  for  gold  lakes  people  to  the  desert.  The  prospector 
with  his  burros,  his  food  and  water  kegs  goes  all  through  the  bar- 
ren land.  Nearly  all  the  mountains  contain  veins  of  gold  and  sil- 
ver and  lead,  and  in  some  places  zinc.  Because  of  the  lack  of  water 
many  of  these  veins  cannot  be  worked.  If  the  mines  appear  to  be 
very  valuable,  water  is  sometimes  piped  to  them  from  distant  springs. 

The  Virginia  City  mines,  in  the  edge  of  Nevada,  and  the  Bodie 
mines  in  California,  are  the  most  noted  ones  in  the  western  part 
of  the  Great  Basin.  At  Virginia  City  there  are  springs  of  hot  and 
almost  boiling  water,  which  makes  the  workings  of  the  mines  dif- 
ficult at  great  depths. 

In  some  of  the  large  basins  of  the  Mohave  Desert  which  were 
once  filled  with  lakes  there  are  valuable  deposits  of  soda,  borax, 
salt  and  gypsum.  Rock  salt  as  clear  as  glass  is  obtained  from  the 
Danby  Salt  Marsh.  At  this  place  there  is  a  curious  cabin  built  of 
blocks  of  salt. 

The  Searls  Borax  Marsh,  which  is  the  bed  of  an  ancient  lake, 
contains  the  most  valuable  deposits  of  borax  known  in  the  world. 
For  years  the  borax  was  hauled  across  the  desert  to  the  town  ot 
Mohave  in  a  wagon  train  drawn  by  twenty  mules. 

Soda  has  been  obtained  from  the  water  of  Owens  Lake  by  run- 
ning it  into  ponds  and  allowing  it  to  evaporate.     The  soda  settles 


Yucca  and  creosote  bushes  in  the  Mohave  Desert. 


California 


215 


to  the  bottom  and  is  shoveled  out  before  the  water  has  evaporated 
enough  to  make  the  salt  separate. 

In  Death  Valley  there  are  also  beds  of  salt  and  soda,  but  it 
is  difficult  to  work  them  during  the  heat  of  summer.  In  the  mid- 
dle of  the  day  in  summer  it  is  hardly  safe  to  attempt  to  cross  the 
glistening  marshes,  so  great  is  the  heat. 

How  is  it  that  stock  raising  can  be  an  important  industry  in 
the  desert? 

Upon  the  mountains  of  the  central  and  northern  parts  of  the 
Great  Basin  there  is  rainfall  enough  to  grow  the  nutritious  bunch 
grass,  but  not  enough  for  farming.  In  those  parts  the  raising  of 
horses,  cattle  and  sheep  is  an  important  industry.  Many  thousands 
of  sheep  are  pastured  in  places  where  there  is  not  water  or  forage 
for   cattle. 

Stock  raising  is  also  important  in  Surprise,  Honey,  Owens, 
Mono  and  Antelope  Valleys,  where  there  is  water  for  irrigation,  for 
there  alfalfa  furnishes  a  cheap  forage. 

To  what  extent  can  farming  be  carried  on  in  the  desert? 

The  soil  of  much  of  the  desert  is  fertile,  but  only  those  parts 
can  be  cultivated  where  water  is  to  be  had  for  irrigation. 

Imperial  Valley  has  an  abundance  of  water  brought  from  the 
Colorado  River.  Coachella  Valley,  lying  to  the  northwest,  obtains 
its  water  from  artesian  wells. 

That  part  of  the  Mohave  Desert  lying  against  the  north  slope 
of  the  Sierra  Madre  Mountains  is  called  Antelope  Valley,  In  this 
valley  are  raised  grain,  almonds,  alfalfa,  apples.  The  water  for 
irrigation  is  obtained  partly  from  the  mountains  and  partly  from 
artesian  wells. 

Many  fertile  valleys  are  found  along  the  eastern  base  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada  Mountains.     They  are  supplied  with  water  from  the 


Grazing  sheep  in  the  desert. 


216 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


melting  snows  upon  the  mountains.  Owens  Valley  is  the  largest 
of  these.  It  is  devoted  largely  to  the  raising  of  cattle  and  alfalfa, 
but  is  becoming  noted  also  for  its   fruits,  especially  apples. 

About  Mono  Lake  are  cattle  ranches  with  their  irrigated  mead- 
ows. Hardy  vegetables  can  be  grown  there,  but  as  the  region  is 
over  6000  feet  it  is  too  frosty  for  fruit. 

Carson  and  Walker  Valleys,  still  farther  north,  are  chiefly  given 
over  to  cattle  raising,  although  apples  can  be  grown  in  them. 

The  Truckee  River  is  the  largest  river  flowing  into  the  Great 
Basin.  It  rises  i,n  Lake  Tahoe  in  California,  but  its  waters  are  used 
chiefly  in  Nevada,  where  they  irrigate  many  thousands  of  acres. 

Honey  Lake  Valley,  close  under  the  northern  Sierra  Nevadas, 
is  noted  for  its  apples,  hay  and  cattle. 

In  far  Northeastern  California,  at  the  eastern  base  of  the  War- 
ner Range,  lies  Surprise  Valley,  a  rich  and  highly  cultivated  region 
with  an  abundance  of  water  for  irrigation.  Fruit  and  all  kinds  of 
farm  produce  are  raised  there. 

What  has  determined  the  route  of  the  roads  and  trails  through 
the  desert? 

If  you  had  to  cross  the  desert  either  with  a  team,  on  horseback 
or  on  foot,  would  not  your  first  question  be  as  to  where  the  springs 
and  water  holes  are? 

As  the  springs  are  so  far  apart,  you  would  have  to  direct  your 
course  so  as  to  reach  water  as  frequently  as  possible.  This  might 
make  a   very   crooked   road   or   trail,   but  every  one   would  have   to 


The  rugged  surface  of  a  recently  cooled  stream  of  lava  in  Northern  California. 


California  217 

follow  it  if  he  valued  his  life.  We  can  say,  then,  that  the  position 
of  the  springs  is  the  first  and  most  important  thing  determining  the 
routes  of  travel  on  the  desert. 

The  wonderful  extinct  volcanoes  of  Eastern  California. 

We  have  learned  that  along  the  eastern  base  of  the  Sierra  Ne- 
vada Mountains  there  is  a  line  of  fissures  in  the  earth  where  rht* 
broken  rocks  when  they  slip  give  rise  to  earthquakes. 

Through  these  cracks  which  extend  far  down  into  the  interior 
of  the  earth  came  molten  rock  once  upon  a  time.  This  spread  far 
over  the  surface  forming  lava  fields  when  it  flowed  out  quietly. 

When  the  lava  was  hurled  out  violently  like  the  shot  out  of  a 
gun  craters  were  formed,  some  of  v^hich  grew  to  be  mountains. 

If  we  make  an  exception  of  Cinder  Cone,  near  Mt.  Lassen,  there 
are  no  other  craters  in  California  so  fresh  and  perfect  as  those  south 
of  Mono  Lake  known  as  the  Mono  Craters. 

Fierce  eruptions  from  a  number  of  craters  spread  fine  ashes  oyer 
miles  of  country.  After  the  ashes  came  streams  of  molten  lava 
which  piled  almost  mountain  high.  Some  of  the  lava  cooled  so 
quickly  that  it  formed  glass.  This  volcanic  glass  or  obsidian  was 
used  by  the  Indians  for  arrows  and  spear  points.  In  one  of  the  craters 
we  can  see  their  ancient  quarries. 

The  islands  in  Mono  Lake  are  w^orthy  of  a  visit.  They  have 
been  almost  shaken  to  pieces  by  earthquakes  and  volcanic  eruptions. 
Here  there  are  hot  springs,  steaming  rocks  and  some  very  interest- 
ing craters. 

SUMMARY. 

That  part  of  our  continent  lying  between  the  Wasatch  Moun- 
tains and  the  Sierra  Nevadas  is  occupied  by  a  vast  desert  which, 
because  it  has  a  rim  of  higher  land  all  about  it  is  called  the  Great 
Basin. 

The  Great  Basin  is  of  much  interest  to  us  because  about  one- 
third  of  the  area  of  California  is  included  w^ithin  it  although  the 
number  of  people  living  there  is  small.  It  is  also  interesting  be- 
cause there  occurs  there  the  driest,  hottest  and  lowest  land  in  the 
United  States. 

The  driest  part  of  the  Great  Basin  is  not  without  some  rain 
and  so  we  find  many  animals  and  plants  scattered  through  it.  Some 
of  these  have  taken  on  strange  and  curious  forms  in  their  struggle 
to  live  with  little  water. 

Mining  is  an  important  industry,  and  wherever  there  is  sufficient 
rain  to  grow  grasses  there  are  cattle,  horses  and  sheep. 

The  high  mountains  upon  the  eastern  and  western  borders  of 
the  Great  Basin  supply  water  for  irrigating  thousands  of  acres  of 
land,  and  in  some  of  the  valleys  which  nestle  under  them  there  are 
rich  a*nd  prosperous  settlements. 


218 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


REVIEW  EXERCISES. 

Trace  on  the  map  the  boundaries  of  the  Great  Basin. 

Point  out  the  routes  of  the  emigrants  across  the  desert. 

How  docs  the  Great  Basin  differ  from  a  river  basin? 

What  would  happen  if  the  chmate  should  change  and  become 

jvet? 

Why  is  there  so  little  rain  in  this  region? 

Why  are  the  desert  valleys  so  hot  in  summer? 

What  kind  of  an  outfit  would  you  buy  for  a  journey  across  the 

desert  ? 

How  is  it  that  salt,  soda  and  borax  are  found  in  the  desert  and 
not  in  the  wetter  parts  of  California?  For  what  are  these  sub- 
stances  used? 

Why  are  the  desert  lakes  salty  and  those  in  other  parts  of  Cali- 
fornia fresh? 

Describe  any  desert  plants  that  you  have  seen. 

What  advantage  have  the  animals  of  the  desert  over  the  plants? 

The  cabin  of  rock  salt  in  the  Danby  Salt  Marsh  has  stood  many 
years.     What  sort  of  a  climate  does  this  indicate? 

Point  out  parts  of  the  desert  where  farming  is  carried  on  and 
give  reasons. 

Why  is  life  in  the  desert  most  of  the  year  very  pleasant? 

Find  out  what  you  can  about  the  cloudbursts  that  occur  in  the 
desert.     Why  are  they  so  dangerous   to  railroads? 


The  giant  sage  brush  of  Honey  Lake  Valley  shows  the  desert  soil  is  rich. 


California 


219 


What  can  we  learn  from  the  earthquakes  in  Owens  Valley 
about  the  making-  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas? 

Find  out  all  that  you  can  about  Mono  Lake  and  the  Mono 
Craters. 

Point  out  parts  where  it  is  too  dry  for  farming-  and  give  your 
reasons. 

PRACTICAL  LESSONS. 

A  region  shut  off  from  the  ocean  by  lofty  mountains  is  likely 
to  be  desert  and  also  to  be  very  hot  in  the  summer. 

All  lakes  without  outlets  are  alkaline  and  salty,  and  those  with 
outlets  are  fresh. 

In  no  part  of  the  earth  has  the  climate  always  remained  the 
same.  Animals  and  plants  become  adapted  through  many  genera- 
tions to  slow  changes  of  climate.  If  the  changes  in  climate  came 
quickly   they  would  be   killed. 

The  Indians  could  not  live  where  Nature  had  neglected  to  leave 
any  water.  Civilized  men  can  take  water  into  the  heart  of  the  worst 
of  deserts  and  turn  it  into  fruitful  gardens. 

Deserts  add  to  the  difficulty  of  traveling  and  seem  at  first 
thought  to  be  just  so  much  waste  land,  but  they  supply  many  min- 
erals which   are  not   found   elsewhere. 


A  glimpse  of  Westlake  Park,  Los  Angeles. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Klamath  Mountains:     Whose  Steep   Slopes  and  Narrow  Can- 
ons for   Many   Years  Interfered  With  Travel 
Between  California  and  Oregon, 

Where  are  the  Klanuth  Mountains  and  what  are  their  boun- 
daries? 

The  extreme  northern  part  of  CaHfornia  is  occupied  by  two  of 
the  seven  districts  or  provinces  into  which  we  have  divided  the 
state.  Although  these  two  districts  lie  side  by  side  the  character 
of  their  slopes  and  the  main  occupations  of  their  inhabitants  are 
quite   unlike. 

The  district  including  the  northwest  corner  we  shall  study  first. 
It  is  called  the  Klamath  Mountains.  It  has  few  large  valleys,  its 
slopes  are  generally  steep  and  the  people  are  largely  engaged  in 
mining. 

The  other  district  forming  the  northeast  corner  we  call  the 
Volcanic  Plateau.  It  is  formed  of  broad  upland  valleys  with  scat- 
tered mountains  and  its  inhabitants  are  mostly  engaged  in  farming 
and  stock  raising. 

The  Klamath  Mountains  lie  north  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  The 
Volcanic  Plateau  lies  north  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  The  two  together 
close  in  the  northern  end  of  the  Sacramento  Valley.  They  meet  in 
an  irregular  line  extending  in  a  northerly  direction,  from  a  point  a 
little  east  of  Redding,  west  of  Mount  Shasta  and  through  Shasta 
Valley. 

What  is  the  character  of  the  Klamath  Mountains? 

The  Klamath  Mountains  are  higher  and  more  rugged  than  the 
Coast  Ranges  and  have  many  deep  caiions.  They  are  formed  of 
rocks  which  hold  veins  of  gold  and  copper  like  those  of  the  Sierra 
Nevadas. 

If  we  could  look  down  upon  this  region  as  a  bird  does  we  should 
see  that  it  is  formed  of  a  group  of  many  different  ranges,  each 
range  bearing  a  different  name.  Beginning  at  the  south  we  have  the 
Hay  Fork,  Trinity,  Salmon,  Scott  and  Siskiyou  mountains. 

The  Salmon  Range  is  the  highest  and  most  rugged,  several  peaks 
rising  over  9000  feet.  The  heavy  snows  which  fall  there,  the  small 
glaciers,  glacial  lakes,  alpine  forests  and  picturesque  crags  all  remind 
one  of  the  High  Sierras. 

How  is  this  region  wat\ired? 

The  Klamath  River,  one  of  the  largest  streams  of  California, 
flows  through  the  heart  of  the  Klamath  Mountains.  It  rises  far 
away  east  of  the  Cascade  Range  in  Oregon.  Its  waters  have  been 
put  to  less  use  than  any  other  of  our  California  rivers  for  the  most 
of  its  course  is  in  a  canon  through  a  rough  and  thinly  settled  country. 


222 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


There  is  no  harbor  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  the  opening  which 
it  has  made  through  the  mountains  is  not  in  such  a  direction  that 
it  is  convenient  to  use  it  as  a  highway  of  travel. 

The  Sacramento  is,  on  the  countrary,  a  very  useful  river.  It 
rises  in  great  springs  near  the  base  of  Mt.  Shasta  upon  the  edge 
of  the  Volcanic  Plateau  and  flows  in  a  deep  cafion  through  the  east- 
ern part  of  the  Klamath  Mountains. 

This  canon  ofifers  a  direct  route  through  the  mountains  to  Ore- 
gon and  is  used  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad.  It  is,  however, 
so  rough  and  difficult  to  traverse  with  wagons  that  the  first  road  was 
built  by  another  route  over  the  Trinity  and  Scott  Mountains.  The 
roughness  of  the  Sacramento  River  cation  is  due  in  part  to  a  flow  of 
lava  which  came  from  Mt.  Shasta  and  followed  the  caiion  nearly  to 
Redding. 

The  Trinity  is  the  largest  river  which  rises  in  the  Klamath 
Mountains.  There  are  some  valley  lands  along  its  course  but  the 
chief  use  to  which  its  waters  have  been  put  is  hydraulic  and  placer 
mining. 

Why  were  there  no  trails  opened  across  these  mountains  in 
pioneer  days? 

Between  the  Willamette  Valley  of  Oregon  and  the  Sacramento 
Valley  of  California  there  lies  a  rough  and  wild  country.  The  Klam- 
ath Mountain  region  which  we  are  now  studying  forms  only  a  part 
of  this  rough  country.  In  addition  to  the  difficulties  of  travel  which 
were  great  there  was  the  danger  of  attack  from  the  Klamath  and 
other  Indians  who  were   very  numerous. 


The  beautiful  and  fertile  Scott  Valley  in  the   Klamath  Mountains. 


California 


223 


Because  of  the  obstacles  mentioned  the  Gold  Seekers  who  came 
through  Oregon  took  a  round-about  way  farther  east  across  the 
Volcanic  Plateau.  Although  the  surface  of  the  country  on  this  route 
was  very  rough  in  places,  there  were  few  canons  or  steep  mountain 
slopes  and  the  Indians  were  less  feared. 

What  led  to  the  early  settlement  of  the  Klamath  Mountains? 

It  was  the  search  for  gold  that  first  led  people  into  this  remote 
and  rugged  region.  The  miners  traced  the  golden  sands  northward 
along  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras.  AVhen  they  reached  the  upper 
end  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  a  new  land  of  riches  opened  to  them, 
for  all  the  streams  coming  from  the  Klamath  Mountains  were  found 
to  be  rich  in  gold. 

No  mountains  were  too  steep  nor  cafions  too  rocky  when  gold 
lay  ahead  and  soon  thousands  of  people  spread  all  through  this 
region  and  towns  sprang  up  at  the  rich  bars.  A  wagon  road  was 
built  over  the  Trinity  Mountains  from  the  Sacramento  Valley  to 
Weaverville,  then  up  the  Trinity  River  and  finally  across  the  Scott 
Mountains.  The  road  ended  at  Yreka,  a  rich  camp.  Most  of  the 
camps  were,  however,  reached  only  by  long  steep  trails  over  which 
everything  had  to  be  packed  on  horse  or  mule  back. 

When  the  gravels  in  the  beds  of  the  present  streams  ceased  to 
pay  the  miners  began  to  work  the  gravels  of  the  ancient  streams, 
portions  of  which  remained  in  the  form  of  benches  along  the  sides 
of  the  caiions. 

These  gravels  were  many  feet  thick  and  to  get  at  the  gold  in 
the  bottom  they  used  the  same  means  as  in  the  foothills  of  the 
Sierra  Nevadas.     Water  was  brought  in  ditches  around  the  hillsides 


A  beautiful  glacial  lake  in  the  Klamath  Mountains. 


224  New  Progressive  Geographies 

until  it  was  above  the  ground  which  was  to  be  worked.  From  there 
it  was  carried  down  in  pipes  and  directed  against  the  gravel  bank 
by  means  of  a  "giant."  Thus  hydraulic  mining  was  begun  and  it 
continued  to  be  an  important  industry  for  many  years.  In  places 
this  form  of  mining  is  still  carried  on. 

Veins  of  gold-bearing  quartz  were  discovered  when  the  placer 
mines  began  to  fail  but  it  required  comparatively  few  men  to  work 
them  and  the  most  of  the  population  drifted  away. 

In  what  parts  of  the  Klam^ah  Mountains  is  mining  now  car- 
ried on? 

As  we  travel  along  the  Sacramento  River  above  Redding  or 
through  the  cafions  of  the  Klamath,  Trinity  and  Salmon  Rivers  we 
see  great  piles  of  boulders  and  gravel  which  have  been  worked  over 
by  the  miners,  and  occasionally  the  ruins  of  once  flourishing  camps. 

Huge  gravel  banks  remain  where  there  was  too  little  gold,  and 
in  a  few  places  we  find  the  miners  still  at  work  with  a  "giant" 
through  which  a  six-inch  stream  of  water  is  being  thrown  with 
terrific  force  against  a  high  bank  of  gravel. 

The  gold  quartz  mines  are  mostly  upon  the  mountain  slopes 
above  the  old  placer  mines.  They  are  scattered  all  through  the 
Siskiyou,  Scott  and  Trinity  Mountains. 

Great  deposits  of  copper  ore  have  been  worked  near  Kennet  on 
the  Sacramento  River,  and  at  Copper  City  on  Squaw  Creek,  and 
smelters  have  been  built  to  extract  the  metallic  copper  from  the  ore. 
The  water  which  flows  from  these  mines  contains  so  much  copper 
in  solution  that  if  pieces  of  iron  are  placed  in  it  they  soon  become 
coated  with   deposits  of  bright  metallic  copper. 

Valuable  deposits  of  iron  ore  exist  near  Pitt  River  northeast 
of  Redding. 

Is  there  much  farming  in  the  Klamath  Mountain  region? 

Although  most  of  the  Klamath  Mountain  region  is  not  suited 
to  cultivation  there  are  a  number  of  valleys  of  considerable- extent. 

Shasta  Valley  lies  on  the  boundary  between  the  Klamath  Moun- 
tains and  the  Volcanic  Plateau.  This  is  a  rich  farming  district. 
Dairying  and  the  raising  of  cattle  and  hay  are  the  chief  industries. 
The  climate  is  especially  suited  to  the  growing  of  apples  for  which 
the  valley  has  long  been  noted.  Because  of  the  high  mountains 
between  it  and  the  ocean  the  climate  of  the  valley  is  rather  dry 
and  irrigation  is  practiced  wherever  water  is  to  be  had. 

Yreka  is  the  largest  town  in  this  part  of  California.  It  was 
once  noted  as  a  mining  camp  but  is  now^  chiefly  supported  by  farming 
and  stock  raising. 

Scott  Valley  lies  to  the  west  of  Shasta  Valley  wholly  within 
the  Klamath  Mountains,  and  hence  has  a  moister  climate.  It  is  an 
attractive  and  fertile  region  where  dairying,  raising  of  hay,  grain 
and  cattle  are  carried  on.  Like  Shasta  Valley  it  produces  the  best 
of  apples. 


California 


225 


The  Valley  of  the  Trinity  River  of  which  Weaverville  is  the 
chief  place  was  once  filled  with  miners,  but  general  farming-  and 
stock  raising  are  now  the  chief  industries.  Although  the  climate  is 
suited  to  the  growing  of  many  kinds  of  fruit  the  distance  to  market 
is  so  great  that  only  enough  for  home  use  is  produced. 

Hay  Fork  Valley  lies  in  the  extreme  southern  portion  of  the 
Klamath  Mountains  and  is  devoted  chiefly  to  stock  raising. 

About  Crescent  City,  the  most  northern  town  upon  the  coast  of 
California,  there  are  rich  lowlands  partly  cleared  and  devoted  to 
dairying.  The  only  outlet  for  produce  is  by  steamer  for,  although 
one  road  leads  south  to  Eureka  and  another  north  to  Oregon,  the 
distance  to  market  is  so  great  as  to  make  them  of  no  value  com- 
mercially. 

Why  does  the  interior  of  the  Klamath  Mountains  contain  so 

few  people? 

Aside  from  the  farming  and  mining  districts  which  we  have 
mentioned  the  Klamath  Mountains  are  almost  uninhabited  by  white 
people.  There  still  remain  a  few  Indians.  No  roads  lead  into  the 
heart  of  this  rough  region  and  the  miners  scattered  along  the  rivers 
pack  their  supplies  over  rough  mountain  trails. 


Hydraulic  mining  on  the  Klamath  River. 


226  New  Progressive  Geographies 

The  mountain  slopes  which  are  level  enough  for  farming  have 
a  cold  winter  climate  and  are  generally  covered  with  forests.  There 
is  no  sale  for  timber  or  for  farm  produce.  Consequently  stock  rais- 
ing is,  next  to  mining,  the  most  important  industry. 

The  Klamath  Mountain  region  contains  a  number  of  attractive 
valleys  which  can  support  many  more  people  than  now  occupy  them. 
Since  the  early  mining  days  it  has  remained  in  the  present  backward, 
and  undeveloped  condition  because  of  the  lack  of  roads  and  railroads 
and  the  great  distance  to  market. 

What  is  the  nature  of  the  forests  of  the  Klamath  Mountains? 

The  forests  contain  trees  found  in  both  the  Coast  Ranges  and 
the  Sierra  Nevadas.  The  most  important  tree  of  the  lowlands  near 
the  ocean  is  the  redwood.  As  we  go  up  the  mountains  we  find  the 
spruce  and  yellow  pine  and  scattered  among  them  oaks  of  different 
kinds. 

Upon  some  of  the  dry  warm  cafion  sides  are  digger  pines  which 
belong  far  to  the  south,  and,  perhaps  most  interesting  of  all,  there  is 
the  Spanish  bayonet  whose  natural  home  is  upon  the  borders  of  the 
deserts  of  Southern  California. 

Higher  on  the  mountains  there  is  the  white  fir,  sugar  pine,  cedar 
and  white  pine,  the  latter  near  the  timber  line.  Upon  the  northern 
slopes  of  the  higher  ridges  there  are  forests  of  alpine  hemlock,  and 
in  some  places  patches  of  huckleberries. 

Why  is  the  lumber  industry  of  little  importance  at  present? 

The  forests  of  the  Klamath  Mountains  possess  great  value,  but 
because  transportation  is  so  poor  they  have  been  cut  chiefly  upon  the 
eastern  and  western  borders. 

Crescent  City  is  the  most  important  shipping  point  for  lumber, 
redwood  being  the  chief  product.  Along  the  upper  Sacramento  River 
are  mills  which  have  cut  the  timber  from  adjacent  slopes. 

The  larger  part  of  the  forested  mountains  is  now  included  in 
the  National  Forests.  The  timber  will  not  be  cut  until  it  is  really 
needed  and  then  without  the  waste  which  most  lumber  companies 
permit. 

The  Sacramento  River  Cafion  attracts  many  summer  visitors. 

The  Sacramento  River  canon  is  important  in  many  ways.  In 
the  first  place  it  opens  a  way  through  the  mountains  from  the  Sacra- 
mento to  Shasta  valleys  enabling  us  to  reach  a  part  of  the  state 
which  would  otherwise  be  difficult  to  get  at. 

In  the  second  place  it  offers  many  attractions  as  a  summer  camp 
ground.  The  upper  part  of  the  Sacramento  River  canon  is  remark- 
able for  the  many  mineral  springs  of  both  sulphur  and  soda  water. 
The  most  noted  are  Shasta  Springs  at  which  all  passenger  trains  stop 
permitting  the  travelers  to  drink  the  pleasant  sparkling  water. 

The  springs,  together  with  the  agreeable  summer  climate,  the 
magnificent  scenery  of  Castle  Crags  and   Mt,  Shasta  attract  thou- 


California  227 

sands  of  visitors  every  summer  to  the  canon  and  to  Strawberry  Val- 
ley at  its  head. 

In  what  way  does  the  McCloud  River  differ  from  ordinary 
rivers  ? 

The  McCloud  River  has  a  small  watershed  but  a  large  volume 
of  water.  It  has  no  branches  of  any  consequence  and  is  almost  as 
high  in  the  late  summer  as  it  is  in  the  spring. 

This  strange  behavior  is  due  to  the  fact  that  it  is  fed  mostly  by 
springs,  we  might  almost  call  them  rivers,  which  come  underground 
from  Mt.  Shasta.  These  springs  are  supplied  by  water  from  the 
melting  snow  and  glaciers  on  the  mountain  and  the  water  flows 
under  the  lava  and  breaks  out  in  the  side  of  the  cafion  of  the  Mc- 
Cloud river. 

The  water  is  clear  and  cold  throughout  the  year  and  for  that 
reason  the  Government  has  located  an  important  fish  hatchery 
upon  it. 

SUMMARY. 

The  northwest  corner  of  California  is  occupied  by  a  group  of 
mountain  ranges  all  taken  together  being  known  as  the  Klamath 
Mountains.  They  are  loftier  and  more  rugged  than  the  Coast  Ranges 
to  the  south,  and  have  steeper  slopes  and  deeper  cations  than  the 
Volcanic  Plateau  to  the  east. 

The  discovery  of  gold  first  led  to  the  settlement  of  this  region, 
but  with  the  working  out  of  the  placers  most  of  the  people  moved 
away. 

There  are  a  number  of  fertile  valleys  but  the  greater  part  of 
the  region  is  unsuited  to  anything  but  -lumbering  and  mining. 

The  mining  is  now  confined  to  gold  quartz  mining  and  hydraulic 
mining.  The  valuable  forests  have  been  lumbered  only  along  the 
borders  of  the  district. 

Owing  to  the  general  roughness  of  the  region  and  the  distance 
to  market  it  remains  thinly  settled  and  in  a  backward  condition. 

REVIEW   EXERCISES. 

According  to  the  relief  map  the  Klamath  Mountains  appear  to 
be  a  northward  extension  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  Why,  then,  do  we 
call  them  by  a  different  name? 

How  do  these  mountains  resemble  the  Sierra  Nevadas? 

Why  is  the  Klamath  River  of  so  little  use  to  the  inhabitants  of 
the  region? 

Point  out  the  route  of  the  first  wagon  road  from  the  Sacramento 
Valley  to  Yreka.  Why  did  it  not  go  up  the  Sacramento  River 
cafion? 

What  kinds  of  mining  are  now  carried  on?  Which  is  the  most 
permanent  kind  of  mining:  placer,  hydraulic  or  quartz  mining?  Give 
your  reasons? 


228 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


Point  out  the  chief  valleys  in  which  farming  is  carried  on.  Is 
fruit  growing  important?  What  disadvantages  do  the  farmers  labor 
under? 

What  attractions  are  offered  by  the  Sacramento  River  cation? 

Explain  why  the  McCloud  River  has  such  an  even  flow  through- 
out the  year. 

Tell  what  you  can  about  the  lumber  industry.  What  are  the 
chief  varieties  of  trees  found  in  the  Klamath  Mountains? 

PRACTICAL  LESSONS. 

River  caiions  to  be  useful  as  highways  of  travel  through  moun- 
tains must  extend  in  the  direction  in  which  people  wish  to  go,  thus 
connecting  one  centre  of  business  with  another.  (Compare  in  this 
connection  the  cafions  of  the  Klamath  and  Sacramento  Rivers.) 

The  settlements  and  industries  of  a  mining  country  are  less  per- 
manent than  those  of  an  agricultural  country. 

A  country  may  have  many  natural  resources  and  yet  be  so  far 
from  market  that  they  cannot  be  developed. 

The  occupations  which  people  carry  on  in  any  country  are  deter- 
mined by  Nature. 

Any  mountain  region  which  is  rich  in  attractions  as  summer 
camp  grounds  should  be  preserved  in  its  wild  state  with  the  greatest 
care. 


The   Klamath   River  in   the   Klamath   Mountains — a  stream  which   runs   away 

to  the  ocean  unused. 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Volcanic  Plateau:     An  Elevated  Region  of  Broad,   Plain-Like 
Valleys,  Lava  Fields  and  Extinct  Volcanoes, 

V^olcanoes  have  had  much  to  do  with  the  making  of  California. 

Volcanoes  and  lava  eruptions  occur,  as  we  know,  where  there 
are  cracks  in  the  earth  formed  by  the  making  of  mountains  or  the 
sinking  of  land. 

California  is  a  country  of  many  mountain  ranges,  some  of 
which  are  still  growing  as  we  can  tell  by  the  earthquakes,  as  well  as 
a  country  of  many  volcanoes. 

If  we  should  travel  over  California  we  would  find  extinct  vol- 
canoes in  nearly  every  part,  but  it  is  only  in  the  northeastern  corner 
that  volcanoes  and  lava  flows  are  so  numerous  as  to  change  the 
whole  appearance  of  the  country. 

Long  ago  Northeastern  California,  instead  of  being  a  moun- 
tainous plateau  as  it  is  at  present,  was  a  lowland  of  marshes  and 
lakes. 

If  we  had  been  there  in  those  days  we  could  have  traveled  from 
the  Sacramento  Valley  northeastward  into  Oregon  without  meeting 
any  mountains.    There  was  then  no  Mt.  Lassen  or  Mt.  Shasta. 

The  map  shows  us  that  now  there  is  a  continuous  chain  of  moun- 
tains reaching  from  the  Sierra  Nevadas  to  the  Klamath  Mountains 
completely  inclosing  the  Sacramento  Valley.  How  did  this  great 
change   come   about? 

The  building  of  the  Volcanic  Plateau. 

There  came  a  time  ever  so  long  ago  when  fissures  opened  in 
the  earth  over  a  great  extent  of  country  now  forming  the  north- 
western portion  of  the  United  States.  This  region  extended  into 
what  is  now  northeastern  California.  From  these  fissures  came  lava 
which  spread  out  in  vast  thin  sheets  and  cooled  with  a  rough,  jagged 
surface. 

From  certain  places  in  these  fissures  the  lava  was  hurled  out 
with  explosions.  Some  of  it  was  in  the  form  of  fine  ashes  or  pumice, 
some  of  it  was  in  the  form  of  cinders  or  scoria,  while  occasionally 
great  masses  many  feet  in  diameter  were  thrown  out. 

We  call  these  places  where  the  explosions  occurred  craters. 
The  lava  which  was  blown  out  and  accumulated  about  them  formed 
cinder  cones,  and  after  a  time  if  the  explosions  continued  long  enough 
the   cinder  cones   grew   into   mountains. 

The  eruptions  took  place  here  and  there  for  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  years.  There  were  times  when  the  earth  was  as  quiet  as 
it  is  today  in  this  region.  During  these  quiet  times  forests  spread 
over  the  country.  Lakes  filled  the  hollows  of  the  lava  and  birds 
and  animals,  dififerent  from  any  living  there  today,  occupied  the 
country,  as  we  can  tell  by  the  bones  that  are  in  some  places  dug  out 
of  the  rocks. 


230 


New  Progressive  Geographies 


At  last  so  much  lava  accumulated  that  it  formed  the  plateau 
which  we  are  now  studying.  The  lava  is,  in  places,  more  than  a 
half  mile  deep,  and  not  only  covers  all  northeastern  California  but 
much  of  Oregon,  Idaho  and  Washington.  It  is  one  of  the  greatest 
fields  of  lava  in  all  the  world. 

What  has  led  us  to  believe  that  the  volcanoes  of  Northeastern 
California  are  not  dead  but  only  sleeping? 

There  are  many  places  upon  the  plateau  where  there  are  hot 
or  boiling  springs.  Hot  Spring  Valley,  a  few  miles  east  of  Lassen 
Peak,  is  a  most  interesting  region  of  this  kind.  Here  there  are 
many  hot  springs.  At  one  point  is  a  boiling  steaming  .lake ;  at  an- 
other place  there  are  curious  mud  volcanoes  where  jets  of  steam  have 
brought  up  mud  from  the  softened  rocks. 

These  things  lead  us  to  believe  that  not  far  below  the  surface 
the  earth  is  very  hot  and  perhaps  molten. 

The  recent  eruptions  of  Mt.  Lassen  show  that  the  volcanoes 
of  this  region  are  not  all  dead. 

In  Pioneer  Days  Peter 
Lassen  opened  a  trail  from 
Oregon  across  the  Volcanic 
Plateau  and  near  a  great 
volcanic  mountain.  His  name 
was  given  to  this  peak  which 
has  an  elevation  of  10,577 
feet  and  marks  the  southern 
end  of  the  Cascade  Range. 

In    the    summer    of    1914 

Mt.    Lassen    commenced    a 

series    of    eruptions    which 

lasted   through  a   period   of 

more  than  five  years.  Large 

quantites   of   volcanic   ashes 

and  scoria  were  thrown  out 

and    half    molten    lava    was 

pushed   up    in    the   crater. 

The       eruption       formed 

a     most     interesting     sight. 

Clouds  of  ashes  rose  many 

thousands  of  feet  in  the  air 

presenting     an     appearance 

similar  to  that  of  Vesuvius, 

,,     ,  .  .         ^,  ,       ,      ,      the    great    Italian    volcano, 

Mt.  Lassen  in  eruption.     The  smoke  cloud  ,  .      .      . 

shows  the  features  of  a  face.  when   it   is  in   eruption. 


California 


231 


Cinder  Cone  in  eruption  less  than  100  years  ago. 

If  we  should  climb  Mt.  Lassen  and  look  away  toward  the  east 
across  the  forested  mountains  we  would  see  at  a  distance  of  about 
20  miles  a  field  of  black  rock  with  a  cone-shaped  mountain  rising 
from  it.  This  mountain  is  Cinder  Cone  and  the  black  rock  around 
it  is  lava. 

It  is  believed  that  the  eruption  of  volcanic  ashes  and  the  build- 
ing of  the  cone-shaped  hill  occurred  about  200  years  ago,  and  that 
the  flow  of  black  lava,  which  covers  about  ten  square  miles,  took 
place  about  75  years  ago.  Thus  the  last  eruption  here  was  only  a 
few  years  before  the  first  white  people  crossed  the  mountains  into 
California. 

The  story  of  Cinder  Cone  is  very  interesting.  There  were  first 
violent  explosions.  Great  quantities  of  volcanic  ashes  were  blown 
into  the  air  and  carried  by  the  wind  over  the  surrounding  country. 
Near  the  crater  the  ashes  fell  four  to  six  feet  deep  killing  all  the 
surrounding  trees.  Many  partly  burned  trunks  still  lie  scattered 
about  on  the  surface  of  the  ashes. 

Many  large  masses  of  lava  called  volcanic  bombs  were  blown 
out  and  lie  scattered  thickly  about  the  base  of  the  cone.  Some  of 
these  bombs  are  almost  round  and  weigh  more  than  a  ton. 

The  slope  of  the  cone  is  so  steep  and  the  cinders  lie  so  loosely 
that  it  is  difficult  to  climb  it.  From  the  summit  one  can  look  into  a 
wonderfully  symmetrical  crater  about   100  feet  deep. 

The  stream  of  molten  lava  which  came  last  blocked  up  the 
valley  and  formed  a  body  of  water  called  Snag  Lake. 


The   Devil's   Kitchen;    steaming  mud  springs  near  the   recent   volcanic   erup- 
tions of  cinder  cone,  east  of  Lassen  Peak. 


232  New  PuociRESSivE  Geographies 

The  surface  of  this  lava  flow  is  still  rough  and  jagged  for  the 
rocks  have  not  yet  crumbled  to  form  a  soil  for  plants. 

For  what  are  the  Modoc  lava  beds  noted? 

On  the  shore  of  Tule  Lake  near  the  Oregon  line  is  another  field 
of  new  lava.  To  this  lava  field  Capt.  Jack,  a  Modoc  Indian,  once 
retreated  with  his  followers  because  it  oiTered  such  secure  hiding 
places.  There  he  was  able  for  a  long  time  to  resist  United  States 
soldiers. 

The  lava  has  a  rough  and  jagged  surface  across  which  horses 
cannot  be  taken.  It  is  difficult  even  for  men  to  climb  over  the 
billows  and  hollows  of  the  lava,  for  it  is  full  of  crevices,  caverns  and 
tunnels.  In  some  of  the  deepest  hollows  the  snow  remains  all 
summer. 

Why  was  it  easier  to  cross  the  plateau  in  the  early  days  than 
to  go  through  the  Klamath  Mountains  ^ 

The  Volcanic  Plateau  is  easy  to  travel  over  because  of  its  broad, 
plain-like  valleys.  These  valleys  were  once  filled  with  lakes.  They 
have  an  elevation  of  3000  to  4500  feet  and  although  they  are  separated 
by  mountains  there  are  no  deep  canons  to  be  crossed. 

The  worst  difficulties  are  caused  by  the  fields  of  bare  lava  which 
the  traveler  has  to  go  around  if  possible.  The  building  of  the  plateau 
took  a  long  time  and  it  is  only  the  newest  streams  of  lava  that  are 
still  rough  and  impassable. 

The  lava  as  it  slowly  crumbles  upon  the  surface  becomes  cov- 
ered first  with  hardy  bushes.  Then,  after  a  time,  the  seeds  of 
pines  sprout  and  take  root  and  a  forest  springs  up.  The  trees  were 
at  first  small  and  stunted  because  of  the  thin  soil,  but  as  the  years 
passed  it  became  deep  and  rich.  As  we  wander  through  the  forest 
now  with  no  rocks  sticking  out  above  the  surface  we  can  hardly 
believe  that  it  was  once  so  rough. 

Mt.  Shasta:    The  queen  of  the  great  volcanoes. 

Mt.  Shasta  is  the  most  noted  and  majestic  of  all  the  mountain 
peaks  of  California.  It  stands  -alone,  rising  far  above  the  surround- 
ing mountains,  and  is  capped  with  a  white  helmet  of  snow  through- 
out  the  year. 

From  the  summit  of  Shasta,  14,380  feet  above  the  ocean,  we 
obtain  a  view  over  all  of  Northern  California.  To  the  southeast 
there  appears  a  line  of  forest  covered  mountains  extending  to  Mt. 
Lassen.  These  were  once  active  volcanoes.  In  the  opposite  direc- 
tion we  can  see,  if  the  air  is  clear,  the  lofty  peaks  of  the  Cascade 
Range.  These  also  were  once  active  volcanoes.  Looking  toward  the 
east  we  can  make  out  scores  of  little  volcanic  mountains,  or  cinder 
cones  as  we  usually  call  them. 

Mt.  Shasta  began  in  the  same  way  as  did  the  cinder  cones  that 
lie  scattered  over  the  plateau,  but  its  story  did  not  stop  as  did  theirs. 
For  many  thousands  of  years  eruption  followed  eruption.  Some- 
times it  was  ashes  and  slag-like  lava  from  the  main  crater;  some- 


California 


233 


times  it  was  a  lava  stream  which  broke  out  of  the  side  far  below 
the   summit. 

Finally  the  mountain  became  so  high  that  the  craters  broke  out 
upon  the  sides.  In  this  way  Shastina,  the  lower  peak,  was  made. 
Mt.  Shasta  is  now  probably  extinct  althoug-h  there  is  a  hot  spnng 
upon  its  summit. 

Nature  is  at  work  tearing  down  the  mountain.  The  rains  and 
the  water  of  the  melting  snows  have  washed  great  gullies  in  the 
loose  materials.  The  glaciers,  of  which  there  are  several,  are  also 
helping  along  the  work  of  tearing  down  the  mountain. 

The  strange  lakes  of  the  Volcanic  Plateau. 

As  the  lava  flowed  over  the  country  during  the  building  of  the 
plateau  it  sometimes  formed  a  dam  across  a  valley,  making  a  lake 
in  the  part  lying  above  the  dam.  Fall  River  Valley  and  Big  Valley 
were  in  this  way  once  made  to  hold  lakes.  Tule  Lake  upon  the 
Oregon  boundary  was  also  formed  in  a  hollow  in  the  lava. 

Near  Hot  Spring  Valley,  a  few  miles  east  of  Mt.  Lassen,  is  a 
most  peculiar  lake.  The  water  plants  which  abound  in  this  region 
have  grown  nearly  over  the  lake  and  have  formed  a  floating  meadow. 
This  meadow  is  solid  enough  to  support  people  who  go  out  upon  it 
and  fish  through  holes  which  they  have  cut  in  the  sod. 

Goose  Lake,  one  of  the  largest  lakes  in  California,  once  formed 
the  source  of  Pitt  River.  The  climate  of  this  region,  like  that  of  the 
Great  Basin,  is  now  drier  than  it  used  to  be  and  the  lake  does  not 
overflow  its  basin. 


Mt.  Shasta  and  Shastina  from  Shasta  Valley— glaciers  lie  in  the  hollows 

between  the  peaks. 


234  New  Progressive  Geographies 

The  peculiar  rivers  of  the  Volcanic  Plateau? 

Pitt  River  is  one  of  the  largest  streams  of  California.  It  flows 
sluggishly  through  the  valleys  of  the  Plateau,  but  has  cut  a  deep 
canon  upon  its  western  edge  where  it  rushes  down  to  join  the  Sac- 
ramento. 

One  of  the  things  which  strikes  the  traveler  upon  the  Plateau 
as  very  strange  is  the  scarcity  of  springs  and  streams.  Although 
the  rainfall  is  heavy  upon  the  higher  parts,  yet  the  lava  is  so  full  of 
pores  and  cracks  that  the  water  quickly  disappears  underground 
instead  of  gathering  in  streams  on  the  surface.  Upon  some  parts 
of  the  plateau  there  is  as  little  surface  water  as  is  found  in  the 
desert. 

The  water  creeps  down  through  the  lava  until  it  comes  to  cav- 
erns or  layers  of  gravel  between  different  flows  of  lava.  It  flows 
along  these,  gathering  from  various  sides  until  it  forms  an  under- 
ground river.  By  and  by  this  river  reaches  the  edge  of  the  lava  flow 
and  then  appears  upon  the  surface  as  a  great  spring  of  pure  cold 
water. 

Fall  River  is  the  largest  and  most  remarkable  river  of  this  kind 
in  California.  It  boils  up  through  the  rocks  in  several  great  springs, 
one  of  which  supplies  water  enough  to  run  a  sawmill.  This  river 
winds  through  the  meadows  of  Fall  River  Valley  in  a  stream  100 
feet  wide  and  finally  empties  into  Pitt  River. 

Hat  Creek  is  formed  by  another  of  these  underground  streams. 
It  bursts  out  of  the  rocks  in  g'reat  springs  whose  volume  of  water 
does  not  change  through  the  year. 

How  does  the  climate  of  the  plateau  region  compare  with  that 
of  other  parts  of  California? 

Since  the  valleys  of  the  Plateau  are  so  high  and  are  shut  away 
from  the  ocean  by  mountains  they  are  cold  in  winter  and  warm  in 
summer.  The  sub-tropical  fruits  of  the  lower  valleys  cannot  of 
course  be  grown  here.  In  their  place  we  find  apples,  peaches,  pears, 
plums  and  cherries  of  a  cooler  climate. 

Thus  we  discover  again  the  interesting  fact  that  we  do  not 
have  to  travel  hundreds  of  miles  toward  the  north  to  find  a  cooler 
climate.  We  have  merely  to  ascend  the  mountains  a  few  miles  to 
the  upland  valleys  where  the  climate,  productions,  and  the  occupa- 
tions of  the  people  are  entirely  different  from  those  of  the  lower 
valleys. 

The  western  part  of  the  Plateau,  including  the  slopes  of  the 
great  volcanic  peaks,  receives  a  heavy  rain  and  snowfall.  It  is, 
therefore,  covered  with  a  dense  and  valuable  forest  of  sugar  pine, 
yellow  pine,  spruce,  fir  and  cedar. 

The  farther  east  we  go.  toward  the  Great  Basin  the  drier  the 
climate  becomes.  The  valleys  are  treeless  while  the  mountains  sup- 
port a  thin  growth  of  pine  and  juniper. 


California  235 

What  are  the  occupations  of  the  people  of  the  plateau? 

Lumbering  is  the  chief  occupation  of  the  heavily  forested  west- 
ern portion.  The  mills  are  situated  in  the  forests  and  the  lumber 
is  floated  down  to  the  railroads  in  flumes.  Matches  form  one  of  the 
important  manufactured  products  of  these  forests. 

The  raising  of  cattle,  sheep  and  horses  forms  the  leading  occu- 
pations of  the  Plateau  valleys.  Hay  and  grain  are  also  raised  in 
large  quantities.     Fruits  such  as  apples  do  well  except  m  the  highest 

valleys.  .       ,     ,  .    ,  ,1       1 

The  lack  of  cheap  transportation  seriously  hmders  the  develop- 
ment of  farming.  This  makes  it  more  profitable  to  raise  cattle  for 
they  can  easily  be   driven   to   market. 

Why  is  it  that  there  are  no  important  mines  in  this  region? 
Except  for  the  gold  at  Hayden  Hill  the  lava  rocks  of  the  Plateau 
region  contain  no  valuable  minerals.  The  gold-bearing  rocks  of  the 
Sierra  Nevadas  probably  extend  under  the  lava  at  a  great  depth,  but 
we  shall  never  be  able  to  reach  them. 

Why  is  the  plateau  so  thinly  settled.'' 

The  Plateau  region,  although  containing  many  fertile  and  pro- 
ductive valleys  is  thinly  settled  because  it  is  remote  from  market 
and  has  always  been  difficult  to  reach.  All  supplies  brought  in  or 
produce  shipped  out  has  to  be  freighted  upon  wagons  over  long  and 
rough  mountain  roads. 

The  eastern  part  of  the  Plateau  is  now  reached  by  a  railroad 
which  is  being  built  from  Reno  in  Nevada  north  into  Oregon. 

What  is  needed  to  develop  the  Volcanic  Plateau? 

Many  of  the  valleys  of  the  Plateau  are  beautiful  and  attractive 
and  possess  an  agreeable  climate.  It  can,  hoAvever,  never  be  thickly 
settled  until  there  is  easier  communication  with  the  markets  of  the 
Sacramento  Valley. 

As  long  as  stock  raising  C9ntinues  to  be  the  most  profitable 
industry  the  ranches  must  remain  large  and  the  population  scat- 
tered. 

SUMMARY. 

Northeastern  California  is  occupied  by  a  volcanic  plateau  which 
is  only  a  part  of  a  greater  plateau  which  extends  over  much  of  Ore- 
gon, Washington  and  Idaho. 

The  western  part  is  densely  forested.  The  broad  plain-like  val- 
leys toward  the  east  are  drier  and  have  a  cold  winter  climate. 

The  two  m6st  striking  features  of  the  Plateau  are  Mts.  Shasta 
and  Lassen.  The  former  presents  the  grandest  scenery  of  any  single 
mountain  in  California.     The  latter  is  noted  for  its  recent  eruptions. 

The  region  about  Cinder  Cone  is  remarkable  for  its  fresh  lava 
field,  mantle  of  volcanic  ashes,  and  hot  and  boiling  springs. 


236  New  Progressive  Geographies 

The  Volcanic  Plateau,  because  it  is  far  from  market,  is  thinly 
settled,  and  devoted  chiefly  to  the  raising  of  such  products  as  cattle 
that  can  be  disposed  of  more  profitably  than  other  things. 

REVIEW   EXERCISES. 

How  do  men  harness  steam  and  make  it  work? 

What  has  steam  to  do  with  the  making  of  cinder  cones  and  vol- 
canoes? 

Describe  the  appearance  of  a  piece  of  slag  or  lava. 

What  uses  are  made  of  pumice  and  volcanic  ashes?  What  makes 
sand  soap  clean  so  well? 

What  do  we  mean  by  an  active  volcano?     An  extinct  volcano? 

Describe  the  surface  of  a  field  of  freshly  cooled  lava. 

Why  is  it  difficult  to  travel  over  fresh  lava  with  horses  and 
wagons  ? 

How  does  Nature  finally  smooth  ofif  the  surface? 

Describe  the  country  around  Cinder  Cone.  (Study  if  possible 
the  Mt.  Lassen  Folio,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  Wash.) 

How  do  you  account  for  the  few  streams  and  springs  on  the 
Volcanic  Plateau?     What  becomes  of  the  rainwater? 

How  do  Fall  River  and  Hat  Creek  differ  from  ordinary  streams? 

Why  is  the  Plateau  thinly  settled?  From  what  directions  can 
it  be  most  easily  reached  by  railroad? 

What  are  the  disadvantages  of  farming  on  the  Plateau?  What 
are  the  advantages  of  stock  raising? 

Why  are  the  winters  cold?  What  part  of  the  Plateau  contains 
the  forests  and  why? 

What  leads  us  to  believe  that  there  may  be  more  volcanic  erup- 
tions in  the  Plateau  region? 

PRACTICAL  LESSONS. 

Volcanic  regions  are  usually  regions  of  earthquakes,  but  earth- 
quakes may  occur  where  there  are  no  volcanoes.  The  great  earth- 
quake rift  of  the  Coast  Ranges  has  no  volcanoes  near  it. 

Volcanic  eruptions  have  probably  not  ceased  in  regions  where 
there  are  hot  and  boiling  springs. 

Volcanic  mountains  are  usually  more  picturesque,  for  example, 
Mt.  Shasta,  than  other  mountains  for  they  stand  out  by  themselves. 
Mt.  Whitney  is  higher  than  Mt.  Shasta  but  is  far  from  being  as 
picturesque. 

Volca^'ic  regions  have  usually  few  surface  streams;  the  water 
flowing  unaerground.  Alany  great  springs  abound  in  volcanic  regions 
where  underground  rivers  come  to  the  surface. 

Regions  covered  with  volcanic  soil  are  very  productive  if  there 
is  sufficient  rainfall. 

Regions  left  by  Nature  difficult  of  access  settle  up  slowly  until 
railroads   are  built   to  them. 

The  occupations  of  a  region  are  determined  by  many  things, 
chief  among  which  are  climate  and  accessibility. 


Ind 


ex 


Alameda,   132 

Angel   Island,   126 

Aqueduct,    Los   Angeles,    62,    175 

Berkeley,   132 

California,  in  1848,  7,  17;  name,  8;  situa- 
tion, 9;  described,  9,  10;  plant  and  ani- 
mal life,  11;  climate,  11,  28,  29,  109,  115, 
168 

Camino    Real,   28,    176,    198 

Carquinez   Strait,   80,    114 

Channel    Islands,    112.    201 

Chico,  91 

Cinder   Cone,    23 

Clear  Lake,    104 

Climate,  28,  22;  influence  of  latitude  upon, 
34;  influence  of  mountains  upon,  36; 
winds,    43 

Coachella    Valley,    204 

Coal,  48,   113 

Coalinga,   90 

Coast,  nature  of,  23;  soundings  along;  is- 
lands,  25,   95,    112;     tidal   lagoons,    112,    197 

Coast  Ranges,  95;  direction  of,  96;  settle- 
ment of,  99;     early  towns,    110 

Colorado    Desert,   203 

Colorado    River,    26,    203 

Conservation,    49-54,    55,    174 

Crescent    City,    225 

Death   Valley,   31;     expedition,   35,   215 

Deltas,   77,   86;     soil   of,   87,    117,  204 

Deserts,  how  accounted  for,  30,  210;  life, 
212,  213;     minerals,  214 

Diablo,   Mt.,   125 

Donner    Lake,    36 

Donner   Party,    36 

Earthquakes,  64,  65 ;  cause  of  mountains, 
177,    178 

Eureka,   101,   103 

Exploration,   affected   by   streams,    59 

Farallone    Islands,    119 

Farming,  53;  influence  of  markets  on,  60; 
influence   of   rain,   60,   61,  224 

Fishing,   119,  202 

Foothills,   146 

Forests,  42;  distribution,  51;  value,  51-52; 
eflPect   of   distribution,    53,   98,    148,    173,    226 

Fremont,  General,  7;  the  Pathfinder,  21,  35, 
139,  209 

Fresno,  90 

Gavilan   Range,   31 

Gold,  discovery  of,  7,  18;  effect  on  settle- 
ment of  California,  7-8 ;  effect  on  other 
industries,    8,    165 

Grain    Growing,    60 

Great  Basin,  35,  209-210;  farming  in,  216; 
minerals,    214 

Great    Salt    Lake,   35,    210 

Great  Valley,  10,  17;  first  settlers,  78;  in- 
dustries, 79;  climate,  80,  82;  situation, 
80,    84;     pioneer    towns,    88;     area,    91,152 

Honey    Lake,    35,    211 

Hydraulic   Mining,    142 

Imperial    Valley,    204 

Indians,  origin  and  life,  13 ;  disappearance 
of.    14 


Industries,    affected    by    destruction    of    vegeta- 
tion, 45 
Inyo-White    Mountain    Range,    31 
Irrigation,    influence    on    farming,    61,    82,    86; 

effect  on    Southern   California,    162,    170 
Japan   Current,   34 
Kings    River,    78 
Klamath   Mountains,  221,  227;     ranges  of,  221, 

232 
Klamath    River,    26,    221 
Lassen    Trail,    28 
Latitude,   34 
Life,   Plant   and   Animal    11,   41,   42;     value   of, 

54,   55,    117,   212 
Livermore   Valley,    124 
Long    Beach,    188 
Los    Angeles,    184,    188 
Los  Angeles   Valley,    182 
Lower    California,    8,    15 
Lumbering,    141-145,   226 
Manufacturing.    133 
Marysville,  27,  89 
Marysville    Buttes,    84 
McCloud    River.    227 
Merced,   91 
Klines,   routes   to,   26 

Minerals,   46,    48,   87,    105,    119,    179,    214 
Mineral    Springs,    105,    111,    227 
Mining,   influence   upon    California,   46,   47,    88, 

141.    142;     towns,    143,    144,   223,   224 
Missions,   situation,    16,    110 
Modesto,   91 
Modoc    Lava    Beds,   232 
Mohave    Desert,    26 
Mono   Lake,   35.   211 
Monterey,    30,    111 
Mountain    Passes,    57,    58;     advantages    of,    57, 

58,   176 
Mountains,     influence     upon     climate,     36.     38, 

172 
Mt.    Hamilton    Range,    125 
Mt.    Lassen,   230 
Mt.    Shasta,   232 
Muir  Woods,   124 
Napa    Valley,    123 
National    Forests,   53,    154 
National    Parks,    53,    154 
Natural    Regions,    71 
Oakland,   132 
Oranges,   34 
Overland    Trails,    Salt    Lake    and    Carson,    22; 

Santa   Fe,   22:     Oregon,   23;     Old    Mormon, 

23 
Owens    Lake,    35,    210 
Owens    Valley,    31 

Padres,    selection    of   town    sites   bv.    16 
Pasadena,    189 
Peninsula    Range,    195 
Petrified    Forest,    105 
Petroleum,    48,    113,    179,    197,    201 
Pioneers,    7;     routes    used    by,    21 
Placer   Mining,    141,    179 
Products,   28;    of   Coast   Ranges,   98 


Quartz    Mining.    141 

Quicksilver,    105.    113 

Railroads,   58 

Rainfall.  31,  34,  44;  of  Coast  RariKes.  98. 
108 

Red    BluflF,   27.  90 

ReddinK,  90 

Redlands,    190 

Redwoods,    102 

Resources,    Natural,    care   of,    48 

Richmond.   133 

Riverside.   190 

Rodeo.  17 

Routes   to   California,   21,    162 

Russian    River    Valley,    121 

Russian    Settlement,    17,    103 

Sacramento.   26.    78.   89 

Sacramento  River,  26.  11 ;  tributaries  of,  11, 
84,   222;   canons,   226 

Sacramento   Valley.    11 

Salinas   Valley.   30 

Salmon   Range.  221 

Salt   Lake  and   Carson   Trail.   22 

Salton    Sea,    205 

San   Benito  Valley.   120 

San   Bernardino.   189 

San   Bernardino   Mountains,   178 

San   Bernardino  Valley,   10 

San  Diesfo,   192,  195 

San  DieKO  Bay,  197 

San  Francisco,  climate  of,  115,  126;  appear- 
ance in    1848   and   1854,   127,    131 

San  Francisco  Bay,  26,  64,  96,  114,  116,  117, 
118 

San  Gabriel   Range,   195 

San  Gorgonio   Mountain,   178 

San  Joaquin   River,   78 ;     tributaries    of,    78,    85 

San  Joaquin   Valley.  31,   11 

San   Pedro.   186 

Santa  Ana,  191 

Santa   Barbara,  200 

Santa  Clara   River  Valley,   198 

Santa  Clara  Valley,  120 

Santa  Cruz   Mountains,   125 

Santa  Fe  Trail.  22.  23,  28 

Santa  Lucia  Range.   110 


Santa  Monica.  188 
Santa  Rosa   Valley.   121 

Scenery.     64;      influenced     by     volcanoes,     66; 
earthquakes.     65;     water    and    ice.     67.     111. 

153,    154 

Searls    Borax    March,    214 

Settlement  of  California,  11;  influence  of 
rainfall    upon    vegetation,    44,    168 

Shasta    Valley,    224 

Shell    Mounds,    13,    114 

Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  27;  value  of,  83, 
139;  canons  of,  147;  thunder  storms  of, 
148;     lakes,    150-151 

Snake    River,    35 

Soil,  44;  effect  of  careless  handling,  49,  50, 
86,    167,    181 

Sonoma    Valley,    123 

Southern  California,  deserts  of,  10,  159;  sur- 
face, 159-161;  rivers  of,  164,  183;  val- 
leys,   164 ;     railroads,    169 

Southern    Coast    Ranges,    110 

Spanish  Settlements,  14,  17;  ferants,  17;  with 
reference  to  climate,  29 

Stock   Raising,    165,    173 

Stockton,   27.    90 

Submerged    Continental    Plateau,    24 

Suisun    Bay,   85 

Surface,   43,    44 

Sutter's   Fort,  26,  89 

Taft,   90 

Tahoe.    Lake,    151,  212 

Tamalpais,    Mount,    124 

Travel,    early   difficulties   of,    28 

Trinity    River,    222 

Tulare.    91 

Tulare  Lake,   78 

Ukiah,  103 

Vegetation,    effect    upon    industries.    45 

Visalia.    91 

Volcanic  Plateau,  229;  making  of.  229:  lakes 
of.    22l\     rivers    of.    234;     climate,    234 

Volcanoes,   66,    67,    84,    105.    217,   229,    232 

Water,    need    of,    49 

Whitman,    Marcus,    8 

Winds,   43 

Yerba    Buena,    127 

Yosemite    Valley,    153 


Illustrations 

Page 

Among   the    Giant    Redwoods Frontispiece 

Breakers  in  Santa  Monica   Bay -.-■- - .2 

Placer   Miners   Panning   Gravel  for   Gold ^^ 

A    Digger    Pine   Tree ,r 

A   Klamath   River  Indian ^^ 

Old  Fort  Ross  from  the  Sea 2? 

Work  of  the   Waves   at   Pt.    Buchon ^^ 

Morro    Rock    --— - 25 

Sea    Caves    near    Port    Harford 27 

Freighting    on    the    Sacramento    River ' 

Rainfall    Map    of    California - - -;.- ----- ^. 

Scene  on   the  New   State   Highway  m   the    Coast   Ranges M 

"  Shastina ^^ 

Mt  Ritter  in  the   High  Sierras      .^-...-.... -----: „ 

Glacial   Lake   on   Head   of  South   Fork   Me^rced  _River ^/ 


Glacier  on  the  North  Slope  of  Shastina ^ 

Mt.  Ritter  in  the   High  Sierras      .^-...-.... -----: „ 

Glacial   Lake   on   Head   of  South   Fork   Merced   River ^/ 

Camp  Grounds  in  Oak  Forest  at  Crystal  Springs ^^ 

Party  of  Teachers  on  the  Summit  of  Mt.   Whitney Jc 

Forest  of  White   Fir   on   Slope   of   Mt.   Shasta ^^ 

Kern  River  Oil  Fields -- ---- -"-.-- .,, 

Erosion  of   Pasture  Land   in  San   Mateo   Hills ^'J 

Soil    Erosion    in    Southern    California .-- -.- ^J- 

Effect  of  Fire  upon   Forests   of  San  Gabriel  Mountains l°< 

Effects   of  Avalanches   in  the   High   Sierras ^o 

Gaviota    Pass   in    Santa    Barbara    County  .- -.-;-- ^^ 

Freighting  on  the  Desert  before  the  Railroads  were  built ^v 

Branding    Cattle   on   a  Desert   Range ^^ 

The  Pinnacles,  Monterey  County  °^ 

Upper  Yosemite  Falls  .. 

Effect  of  the  Earthquake  near  Pt.  Reyes - "" 

Volcanic  Bombs  from  Cinder  Cone o/ 

The  San  Luis  Obispo   Buttes --- .- ^ 

Eastern   Front  of  the   Sierra   Nevada   Mountains 'i 

Bullfrog   Lake   at  the   Head   of   Kings   River -     /| 

An  Irrigation   Canal  --■■—- ^^ 

Level   Floor   of  the   Sacramento  Valley ■- 1," 

Stockton    Water    Front :-"4-;-,V 

Picking  Cantaloups  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley 


Stockton    Water    Front :-";";"T, 81 

Picking  Cantaloups  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley ^ 

Drying  Apricots  in  the  San  Joaquin   Valley.     »^ 


Rice  Field  in  the  Sacramento  Valley -, °^ 

A  Potato  Field  in  the  San  Joaquin  Delta  Region |3 

Scene  on   the   Sacramento   River   at  City  of   Sacramento »» 

Grounds   of  the   State   Capitol  at   Sacramento e^ 

Fresno   from   an  Aeroplane -L. 

Rocky  Shore  of  Carmelo   Bay _- ^^ 

Rocky   Coast   of    Northern    California. .- ^' 

Sawmill   and   Log  Boom  on  the   Mendocino  Coast v^ 

Point    Arena    Lighthouse   . -.. 

A   Great  Sawmill   at   Eureka t^^ 

Schooners   Loading   Lumber   at   Eureka j^^ 

Eel   River   at    Low   Water I, 

The    Lower   Salinas    River „_ 

Artichoke   Fields   of   San   Mateo   County..    - ^/ 

Bridge  Across  the  Salinas  River  at  King  City u^ 

Sand  Dunes  near  San  Francisco. -..--.- . 

San  Francisco   Bay  from  the   Berkeley  Hills |i^ 

Looking  in   Through    the    Golden   Gate jjo 

The  Suisun  Marshes  •-- -.- ,,o 

The   Palace  of  Fine  Arts,   San   Francisco j^o 

Point   Reyes    


Page 

Hop  Field  in  the  Russian  River  Valley 121 

On  the   Beach  at  Santa   Cruz 122 

Mt.  Diablo  from  Walnut  Creek 124 

San    Francisco  Water   Front 126 

Looking  Down    Market   Street,   San    Francisco 128 

Stow    Lake,    Golden   Gate    Park 129 

City  Hall,  Oakland 130 

The    Civic   Center,   San   Francisco 132-133 

Oakland    Business   Center   from    Lake   Merritt 134 

Shipping  on   Oakland   Water   Front 135 

The  Caiiipanile  on  the  University  Grounds  at  Berkeley 137 

Tuolumne  Table   Mountain   140 

A  Desert  Valley  in  the  Southern  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains 142 

Sierra    Valley    143 

Kings   River   Canon   145 

Arctic    Flowers 146 

In  the  Mariposa  Grove  of  Big  Trees 147 

A  Gnarled  and  Twisted  Fox-Tail  Pine  in  the  High  Sierras 150 

Trees   at   the   Timber    Line 151 

Perched    Boulder   left   by  a   Glacier 153 

The   Piimacles  on   the  Crest  of  the   High  Sierras 154 

Hetch    Hetchy   Valley   155 

Among  the   Orange   Orchards   of  Southern    California 161 

Spanish  Bayonet  and  Big  Cone  Spruce,  San  Gabriel  Mountains 163 

Irrigation    Canal   near    Riverside 166 

Mt.    San    Jacinto    from    Hemet   Valley 167 

Bear  Valley   Reservoir,   San    Bernardino    Mountains 169 

Picking  Lemons  170 

Irrigating   an    Orchard    by    Checks ■ 171 

A   Wonderful   Spring  in   the   San   Bernardino   Mountains 180 

Celery    Field    near    Los    Angeles 181 

An   Ostrich    Farm    near   Los   Angeles 183 

Scene  in  the   Business   District  of  Los  Angeles 185 

Scene   in   the   Residence   District   of   Los   Angeles 186 

San    Pedro   Harbor  189 

An  Avenue,  Pasadena  190 

Mission    Inn,   Riverside  191 

Chula  Vista  Grammar  School  near  San  Diego; 192 

Mt.  San  Antonio  from  near  Santa  Ana 193 

The  Plaza,  San  Diego 194 

San   Gorgonio   Pass  from  the  Desert  Slope 195 

Seventeen   Palms  Spring  in  the  Borego  Desert 196 

The   Beach  at  Santa    Barbara 198 

Date   Palm   Grove  at  the   E.xperiment  Station,   Coachella 200 

An  Artesian   Well,  Coachella  Valley 201 

Picking    Cotton,  'Imperial    Valley 202 

A   Cactus   Garden  in   the   Borego  Desert 203 

Mud    Volcanoes,    Imperial    Valley • 204 

A   Volcanic   Crater  in   the    Mohave    Desert 210 

Death    Valley    211 

Sand   Dunes   of  the    Colorado    Desert 213 

Yuccas   and    Creosote    Bushes    in    the    Mohave    Desert 214 

Grazing    Sheep    in    the    Desert 21o 

Rugged  Surface  of  a  Stream   of   Lava : 216 

Giant    Sagebrush   of    Honey    Lake   Valley 218 

Westlake    Park,   Los   Angeles 219 

Scott's   Valley   in    the    Klamath    Mountains 222 

A    Glacial    Lake   in    the    Klamath    Mountains 223 

Hydraulic   Mining   in    the    Klamath    River -. 225 

The   Klamath   River  228 

Mt.    Lassen    in    Eruption 230 

The    Devil's    Kitchen    231 

Mt.    Shasta   and   Shastina    from    Shasta   Valley 233 

Colored  Supplements  


r^ 


